Licensed, not banned: what China’s new rules mean for the parts inside Russia’s Shahed-type drones
Ukraine’s sanctions commissioner says Geran engines are on Beijing’s updated list and sees an opening for Kyiv.
Russia's updated drone export rules will now require licenses for the engines in Russia's Geran attack drones, which are modeled after Iran's Shahed drones, according to Ukraine's sanctions commissioner Vladyslav Vlasiuk. The license requirement is set to take effect on November 18. Licensing itself is not a new concept, as China has been requiring permits for some drone engines since September 2023. However, the new rules focus on enforcement rather than the list of items subject to licensing.
Beijing issued the update through a joint announcement from the Commerce Ministry, the General Administration of Customs, and the Central Military Commission's Equipment Development Department. Announcement No. 49 bars the export of listed drone items without a license, including specially designed autopilots, certain drone engines, and anti-jam navigation technology. The announcement lists anti-jam navigation as a technology, not as hardware.
Ukraine's sanctions commissioner expects the new rules to provide an opportunity for Ukraine to put pressure on Beijing, as they now officially take responsibility for these categories. Ukraine plans to track licenses, transit routes, and re-exports, along with known suppliers of Russia's arms industry.
The licensing requirement does not mean a ban on exports. Exporters deemed reliable by China can obtain general permits valid for up to three years. However, there are broad grounds for refusal, and the new thresholds do not cover certain items, such as motors and speed controllers for FPV drones, batteries, cameras, or optical fiber. The rules do cover brushless motors and their speed controllers that meet specific criteria, including voltage, power density, and rotational speed.
Despite the new rules, Russia could still obtain parts with Beijing's approval. This could lead to delays, inspections, and higher costs for Ukraine, which lacks close ties to China.
Written by urgent.news from Euromaidan Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
