Russia helping China prepare for war with Taiwan, leaked documents say
Moscow has allegedly agreed to train and equip a Chinese airborne battalion to prepare for an invasion of Taiwan, according to a Sept. 26 analysis of documents leaked by hacking group Black Moon.
"Based on documents obtained by hackers from the Black Moon group, experts from the Royal United Services Institute for Defense and Security Studies (RUSI) have provided a factual analysis and forecast of the danger posed by the Russian-Chinese project aimed at preparing an airborne assault by the Chinese army on Taiwan in 2027," the group said in a post to X.
China still lacks the air maneuverability capabilities needed for an invasion of Taiwan, British think-tank RUSI reported, adding that Russia in 2023 agreed to supply China's army with the weapons needed to supply an airborne battalion.
Moscow has agreed to supply technology to Beijing that will give China the ability to increase production of related equipment.
Russia will provide China with 37 light amphibious assault vehicles equipped with automatic cannons, 11 light amphibious anti-tank self-propelled guns, 11 airborne armoured personnel carriers, and an unspecified number of command and observation vehicles, according to the supposedly leaked contracts.
Although China's army is widely considered superior to Russia's, the Kremlin has airborne combat experience that Beijing lacks, the Washington Post reported.
Facing increased Western isolation following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has turned to China for trade. Military cooperation has also increased between the two countries.
"Military cooperation between China and Russia goes far beyond what has been publicly acknowledged," an unnamed Taiwanese security official told the Washington Post, commenting on the leaked documents.
Earlier in September, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un joined Chinese President Xi Jinping for a large-scale military parade in Beijing marking the 80th anniversary of Japan's surrender and the end of World War II.
China officially claims neutrality in Russia's war against Ukraine, but has indirectly supported Moscow's war through continued trade and by providing dual-use goods to Russia.
