Taipei [Taiwan], January 8, : Ukrainian activist, Vadym Labas, alleged that Chinese companies supporting Russia are pretending to be based in Taiwan, not only to evade sanctions but also to undermine the self-governing island, Radio Free Asia reported.
Labas stated that initially it was believed that Taiwanese company Taiwan Rung Cherng Suspenparts (TRC) altered and manufactured servomechanisms for Russia's destructive glide bombs, based on a transaction document linking TRC to a Russian company.
The activist, however, added that further investigation uncovered that the TRC name in the document was actually a cover for a Chinese company attempting to bypass international sanctions, rather than the Taiwanese firm.
"We also found a dual operation, which not only involved a new tactic to evade sanctions but also an effort to tarnish the reputation of the Taiwanese manufacturer, a tactic that had been repeatedly employed by the involved parties," Labas wrote on his Facebook on Monday.
He further stated that the Chinese company KST Digital Technology Limited provided servomotors to Russia via a network of middlemen, one of which was a company named Kaifeng Zhendaqian Technology. These products were then falsely labeled as those of the Taiwanese company TRC, with its name being used without permission.
Servomotors play a vital role in glide bombs by controlling their aerodynamic components, like fins or wings, allowing for accurate maneuvering and guidance.
"Taiwan has been wrongfully implicated. The real perpetrators are Chinese manufacturers using TRC's name as a disguise," he said.
Meanwhile, Chen Shu-Mei, TRC's deputy general manager, rejected any suggestion of a business relationship with Russia, stating that the company might pursue legal action to defend its reputation.
"This claim is completely baseless," Chen remarked, adding that TRC mainly produces automotive chassis components and suspension system parts.
According to the RFA report, although not as sophisticated as Western precision-guided munitions, Russian glide bombs have become a crucial element of Russia's air strategy in Ukraine. Military analysts estimate that they account for 20 per cent of Russia's operational edge in the conflict.
Ukrainian intelligence reports indicate that Russia has significantly ramped up its use of these bombs. In May 2023, Russian forces were deploying around 25 glide bombs daily, but that figure has since risen to at least 60 per day, occasionally surpassing 100.