In what reads like a Eurasian interpretation of a Sherlock Holmes mystery, Russian authorities noticed that sensitive military and dual-use goods were going missing. After an extensive investigation into who was responsible, Russian law enforcement has determined that the culprits are Chinese citizens living and working within Russia.
Russian law enforcement officials cite the case of a Chinese citizen who was apprehended in the process of shipping two tactical vests—the Ratnik model, with a 6Sh117 patrol backpack. The Defence Blog, a popular military website, has shared this news with the wider Western world.
Chinese Nationals Keep Ending Up With Russian Equipment
Indeed, it has been reported that the Chinese national arrested by Russian authorities “already successfully sent two 6B45 general-purpose body armor units, along with combat backpacks and other military gear, to China.”
Though some individuals involved in purchasing military equipment have claimed they did so legally—in one case, a 27-year-old student bought body armor via an online classified ad—it is indisputable that much of this activity comes as part of a larger trend by Chinese nationals inside Russia to conduct industrial espionage. According to some experts, Chinese intelligence routinely deploys personnel into countries that are at war, as Russia is with Ukraine, to gain access to high-end military gear. In many cases—and particularly in Russia, where military corruption is endemic—such gear becomes far more easily available than when the country is at peace.
In other words, it is official Chinese government policy to steal sensitive, high-end equipment from their “friend without limits,” the Russian Federation. Friends without limits indeed!
When the leaders of the two countries placed “no limits” on their friendship, China’s government might have just assumed that meant they were allowed access to everything in Russia—including sensitive military equipment.
The fact of the matter is that the Sino-Russian alliance is not as strong as either Moscow or Beijing wish to present to the world. Like so much of what China does, it is an empty gesture. China wants access to high-end foreign technology, whether it be jet engines, missile technology, or tactical gear from Russia. They want to know what their enemies—and, in the case of Russia, their so-called friends—are developing so they can either achieve parity with that capability or build something better.
The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, the agency overseeing the investigation into Chinese nationals pilfering sensitive military gear and using Russia’s postal services (and other legal loopholes) to send the materials back to China, has refused to publicly comment on the matter.
But one can be certain that this is not a welcome development for the Russian Federation—which is, thanks to the Ukraine War, increasingly reliant on the largesse of the fundamentally self-interested People’s Republic of China.
Despite “No Limits” Friendship, Russia and China Have Their Own Interests
Think about this, too. As China steals from their “friend without limits” in Russia, the Chinese are also moving closer on trade issues with the European Union in response to the Trump administration’s ongoing trade war. Such a move—empowering the EU with cheap goods and closer ties to Beijing—is fundamentally at odds with Russia’s interests.
Many are skeptical of the growing division between Beijing and Moscow. But when historians look back on this most uncertain time, they will say there were signs. This particular “whodunit” in the case of Russia’s stolen military gear is one such sign. Washington must work double-time to exploit these cleavages in the Sino-Russian entente cordiale.
About the Author: Brandon J. Weichert
Brandon J. Weichert, a Senior National Security Editor at The National Interest as well as a contributor at Popular Mechanics, who consults regularly with various government institutions and private organizations on geopolitical issues. Weichert’s writings have appeared in multiple publications, including the Washington Times, National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, the Asia Times, and countless others. His books include Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His newest book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine is available for purchase wherever books are sold. He can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.
Image: Shutterstock / plavi011.
