The head of Ukraine’s intelligence service, Kyrylo Budanov, said in an interview with Voice of America radio that he sees no indication that China intends to send weapons to Russia.
Senior US government officials have recently claimed that China is considering sending lethal equipment to Moscow, and a diplomatic campaign has been launched to prevent such a move.
When asked about the possibility, Budanov declared: “I do not share this opinion.”
“At this moment, I don’t believe that China will agree to transfer arms to Russia … I don’t see any indication that such a thing is even being discussed,” he said.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken voiced concern a few weeks ago over the potential shipment of weapons during a tense meeting with the head of Chinese diplomacy. The CIA director insisted in an interview on Sunday that Beijing was considering the possibility.
Some US media outlets, based on unnamed government sources, claim that China is deciding whether to send drones and some munitions to Russia.
Asked about the US allegations, Budanov replied: “I am the head of intelligence and I depend, with all due respect, not on the opinions of individuals, but on facts. I do not see such facts”.
Asked where Russia could source weapons, Budanov said that, apart from unconfirmed reports of shipments from North Korea, “practically the only country currently transferring more or less important weapons is Iran.”
