China helps Russia expand its “most ambitious” war machine since the USSR

Washington: China is backing Russia’s war effort in Ukraine by helping Moscow in its biggest military buildup since the Soviet era, providing it with drone and missile technology, satellite imagery and machine tools, senior U.S. officials said.

The U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said U.S. President Joe Biden raised the issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping in their recent phone call and that it is a topic of discussion with U.S. allies in Europe and around the world. world.

One official said Chinese materials were filling critical gaps in Russia’s defense production cycle and helping Moscow undertake its “most ambitious defense expansion since the Soviet era and on a faster timeline than we initially thought possible.” of this conflict.”

“Our view is that one of the most innovative measures we have at our disposal right now to support Ukraine is to persuade the People’s Republic of China [China] stop helping Russia reconstitute its military industrial base. “Russia would have difficulty sustaining its war effort without the contribution of the People’s Republic of China,” the official said.