Despite global sanctions imposed against the Russian Federation in response to military aggression, structures of the Russian military-industrial complex successfully find alternative channels for supplying critical equipment. A key role in this illegal, yet technically permissible scheme is played by the Chinese marketplaces Alibaba and AliExpress, through which industrial dual-use machines are sold.
These devices are fundamental in the production of high-precision weapons, in particular artillery systems, UAV bodies, and rocket engine components.
Both platforms, owned by the Chinese technology giant Alibaba Group, operate under a model of minimal interference in transactions between suppliers and buyers. Alibaba.com, primarily a B2B platform, provides access to thousands of listings from the PRC, including industrial-class equipment, while AliExpress serves as a B2C channel with liberalized logistics. Despite calls from Western governments for stricter control, the marketplaces leave the risks of misuse of dual-use goods to the conscience of the buyer or intermediary.
Plant after the strike: Russia restores arms production with Chinese machines from Alibaba
MAXAR image as of July 2025
Despite a series of precision strikes by the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the JSC “KBP” named after A.G. Shipunov plant in 2025, analysis of high-resolution images from “MAXAR Technologies” indicates a gradual restoration and expansion of production capacities. In particular, through the construction of a new high-tech workshop, in which modern Chinese-made CNC machine tools purchased from the “Alibaba” marketplace will be installed.
JSC “KBP” named after A.G. Shipunov is a Russian defense enterprise, part of the holding “High Precision Systems” (“Rostec”), specializing in the production of anti-tank and artillery systems, guided artillery shells, air defense systems, automatic cannons, as well as small arms and grenade launchers.
It is under U.S. sanctions (SDN-list, E.O. 13661/62): asset blocking, prohibition of transactions with the U.S.; EU – 2023–2025 sanctions packages: asset freezes, import/export and financial restrictions; United Kingdom – 2025 sanctions: asset ban, prohibition of operations in British jurisdiction.
Chinese companies that massively list machine tools on Alibaba are in fact supplying high-tech equipment to Russian weapons manufacturing plants despite global sanctions and geopolitical tensions.
In particular, such Chinese companies as Tengzhou Wellon Machinery Co. Ltd, Tengzhou Borui CNC Machine Tool Co., Ltd, and Xiamen Yangsen NC Equipment Co., Ltd openly offer their products on this marketplace, namely the machine models XL8132, BR570DY, and YSMV-2218, which in turn belong to the group of high-precision turning and milling machines and are likely to serve the purpose of further robotizing certain sections of production within the new workshop of JSC “KBP” named after A.G. Shipunov.
BR570DY YSMV-2218
Legitimization through ‘grey’ chains.
The supply of machine tools to the Russian Federation is carried out through intermediary jurisdictions – Turkey, the UAE, and Kazakhstan. Contracts are executed in the name of legal entities with minimal authorized capital, sometimes even without the physical presence of the manufacturer. In many cases, delivery is carried out through schemes with deferred cargo declaration. This makes it impossible for customs authorities to respond promptly and also masks the real identity of the customer.
The spread of illegal access to high-precision technologies poses a challenge to export control regimes. Analysts of Western intelligence record a rapid increase in the share of Chinese CNC machine tools in the production chains of the Russian defense industry. This creates preconditions for prolonged sanctions erosion and parallel modernization of Russia’s military-industrial base.
The functioning of Chinese online marketplaces in their current form constitutes a structural threat to export control systems. The availability of dual-use technologies through open platforms without proper buyer verification contributes to strengthening the sanctions resilience of the Russian Federation. The need to create a global mechanism for preventive digital monitoring of e-commerce is now more relevant than ever.
1) Tengzhou Wellon Machinery Co. Ltd – a Chinese manufacturer and trading company based in Tengzhou City, Shandong Province, China. The company occupies an area of about 100 acres and has over 200 employees, making it one of the largest in this region. Since its founding – officially on May 10, 2013 (according to some sources – 2005) – the company has continuously invested in the development and production of innovative high-tech metalworking equipment.
Address: No.766 Tongda Road, Tengzhou City, Shandong, China
Mobile numbers: +86-632-5612354; +86-13969473068 (WhatsApp)
E-mail: info@wellonmachinery.com
Website: https://www.wellonmachinery.com/
Product range
The company manufactures and exports a wide range of metalworking equipment, including:
– CNC machines (vertical, horizontal);
– Double-column machining centers;
– Lathes with inclined and flat beds;
– Milling, drilling, grinding, sawing, and milling machines;
– Shapers, presses, sheet metal processing equipment, accessories, and car service equipment.
Machine tool XL8132
2) Tengzhou Borui CNC Machine Tool Co., Ltd – supplies advanced solutions for CNC machining, including CNC machining centers, milling machines, lathes, and gantry systems.
Address: Tengzhou City Economic Development Zone, Tengfei Road and Xiangyuan Road intersection, Zaozhuang, Shandong;
Mobile numbers: +8613276378566;
E-mail: hemingway@tzborui.cn
Website: https://boruimc.com/
Product range
The main production directions include:
– CNC vertical and horizontal machining centers;
– CNC lathes and combined lathe-milling centers;
– Gantry machining centers;
– Drilling and tapping centers;
– Grinding and milling machines, gear hobbing machines, band saws, hydraulic presses.
Machine BR570DY
3) Xiamen Yangsen NC Equipment Co., Ltd – founded in 2007, located in Xiamen, China, occupies an area of 57,000 square meters. The company specializes in the development, research, production, and sales of high-tech CNC series products.
Address: No.586-590, Shanbian Road, Dongfu Industrial Zone, Haicang District, Xiamen City, Fujian Province, China;
Mobile numbers: +86-592-6055150; +86-13806069286;
E-mail: info@yangsencnc.com
Website: https://www.yangsencnc.com/
Scope of activity
R&D, production, and sales of mid-range and high-end CNC machines:
– High-speed drilling and tapping centers;
– Vertical and horizontal machining centers;
– Gantry machining centers;
– Horizontal boring centers;
– Five-axis machining centers;
– As well as milling machines, drilling machines, milling-engraving centers.
Machine YSMV-2218
Shipunov Plant
