Anastasia Gorbacheva10:11, 03.12.23

It is noted that China continues to deny supplies of equipment to the Russian army.

Russia buys hundreds of Chinese all-terrain vehicles, which are also widely sold to American consumers. This fact could increase tensions between the West and Beijing due to President Xi Jinping’s tacit support for Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Financial Times writes that the Russian president inspected the Desertcross 1000-3 all-terrain vehicle along with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, who said that Chinese-made buggies are “extremely in demand.”

The Russian military already has 537 “basic” versions of the Desertcross 1000-3 from Shandong Odes in service and plans to purchase another 1,500 with “additional options.

The claims, backed by social media footage showing Russian soldiers using them in the field, come as Putin’s military increasingly turns to Chinese suppliers for equipment needed to support the invasion of Ukraine.

Sales of all-terrain vehicles made by Shandong Odes Industry, a sports equipment maker based in eastern China, highlight the dilemma facing many Chinese companies whose sales to Russia could expose them to retaliation from Washington.

Last month, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a clear warning that Russia “depends on willing individuals and entities from third countries to resupply its military and continue its horrendous war against Ukraine.”

“We will not hesitate to hold them accountable,” Yellen said.

Shandong Odes says it has hundreds of dealers around the world, including in the US and Europe, where it sells under the Aodes brand. There are more than 100 dealerships in the United States licensed to sell Aodes-branded vehicles to markets ranging from farmers to tourists.

It’s unknown how many vehicles they sell, but Shandong Odes shipped 4,200 heavy items labeled as “low-speed” or “all-terrain” vehicles to the United States last year, according to invoices.

Aodes is the best-selling brand for such buggies at Play-N-Around Motorsports in Pinehurst, Texas, and the American version of the Desertcross 1000-3, which sells for about $20,000 in the United States, is one of the popular models. But while CEO Branden Williamson said he was “absolutely” aware the vehicles were being used by Russian forces, he added that would only be a problem if sanctions caused prices to rise.

According to Russian customs documents, Shandong Odes exported the vehicles to a number of civilian buyers. According to them, the company shipped 137 Desertcross vehicles in March and April, valued at about $1.6 million. The main buyer was Formula 7, a Russian motorsport company.

Pavel Luzin, a senior fellow at the Jamestown Foundation who studies the Russian military, believes Russia could have bought these vehicles on the secondary market without Shandong Odes’ knowledge.

“They may be better than motorcycles or old Soviet cars, which are now widely used by Russian soldiers, but nothing more,” Luzin said. “This is another demonstration that Russia cannot produce as much equipment or goods for its army.”

In numerous high-level visits to Beijing in recent months, European leaders have urged China to use its close ties with Russia to persuade it to withdraw troops from Ukraine.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel will travel to Beijing this week for the first in-person EU-China summit in four years, which is expected to feature tough talks on Ukraine and trade.

However, Xi and Putin continue to tout their deep friendship and growing trade ties. China insists it does not sell military equipment to Russia, but Ukraine’s allies are concerned about the sale of non-lethal goods useful for the defense industry.

Chinese truck exports to Russia have surged, freeing up domestic manufacturers to focus on supporting the war effort. In January 2022, on the eve of a full-scale invasion, China purchased $32 million worth of heavy-duty vehicles and trucks with trailers, according to Chinese officials. In July, the volume of such imports reached almost a billion dollars. Last month they were worth $378 million.

In July, the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence said China was “emerging as a key support for Russia’s military efforts, likely supplying Moscow with key technologies and dual-use equipment used against Ukraine.”

Some Chinese equipment appears to have been sold to powerful figures involved in Putin’s invasion. In June, Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Chechnya, posted a video showing eight unarmed China Tiger armored personnel carriers driving around his residence.

These vehicles, manufactured by Chinese defense contractor Shaanxi Baoji Special Vehicles Manufacturing, are designed for riot control and light combat operations, rather than heavy combat as seen on the Ukraine front. It is unclear how Kadyrov, whose “TikTok warriors” have come under fire from other Russian hardliners for trying to avoid real combat, received the Chinese Tigers.

Jah Yan Chong, an associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore who specializes in Chinese foreign policy, says that if Shandong Odes buggies found their way into Russia through motorsport retail stores, it would give Beijing a “plausible justification.”

But if the shipments provoke a strong response from the United States and its allies or worsen public opinion of China in Western markets, Beijing may be forced to act, Chong said.

“What their companies do, whether they do it intentionally or not, has an impact. So they probably need to do something about that kind of public opinion,” the expert said.

Luzin of the Jamestown Foundation believes that Shandong Odes is unlikely to be happy that Russian purchases have become public knowledge.

“It’s unlikely that they will want to put everything at risk for the sake of a deal with Russia worth 3-4 million dollars,” Luzin said.

(C)UNIAN 2023