Ukraine’s head of military intelligence has dismissed the US claims that China is considering supplying lethal aid to Russia. He tells US media that he noticed no “signs that such things are even being debated”.
US officials claimed last week that they were fully confident that China was considering providing arms to Russia. But on Monday’s interview with Voice of America, the chief of Ukrainian military intelligence Kyrylo Budanov said, “I do not share this opinion.”
As of now, I do not think that China will agree to the transfer of weapons to Russia. I do not see any signs that such things are even being discussed.”
Kyrylo Budanov
Last week, Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State circulated Washington’s concerns about likely arms shipments in a tense meeting with his Chinese counterpart, and the director of the CIA said in an interview on Sunday that he believed Beijing was still considering the possibility.
Meanwhile, media reports in multiple American outlets have quoted anonymous US officials as saying China was deciding to provide drones and certain munitions to Russia. When Budanov was asked specifically about the US assessment.
I am the head of intelligence and I rely, with all due respect, not on the opinions of individual people, but only on facts. I do not see such facts.”
Kyrylo Budanov
As to where Russia could still procure arms, Budanov said that apart from unconfirmed reports of shipments from North Korea, “almost the only country that actually transfers more or less serious weapons is Iran”.
