Beijing has regularly denied accusations from Kyiv that it is aiding Moscow’s war against its neighbour.

Last month, Ukraine accused China of direct military assistance to Russia’s arms industry. Ivashchenko said that the country’s intelligence agency can now confirm those reports.

“There is information that China supplies tooling machines, special chemical products, gunpowder, and components specifically to defence manufacturing industries,” he said. “We have confirmed data on 20 Russian factories.”

‘Groundless’

Although China has sought to project an image of neutrality and denies any involvement in the war, it has increased trade and economic cooperation with Russia since its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Meanwhile, Western countries have imposed sweeping sanctions on Moscow.

Ukraine has regularly suggested China is supporting the war, and has said that Beijing has sent soldiers to fight alongside Russian forces.

Last month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made his first public accusation that China is supplying gunpowder and materials to Russia’s arms manufacturers, while also accusing Chinese citizens of helping in the production of drones.

China rejected the claim as “groundless,” but Kyiv has since imposed sanctions on three Chinese entities.