China Reportedly Restricting Sales to Russia of Tools Needed for Missile Production

China has restricted sales to Russia of specific tools needed in the production of missiles, engines and precision-guided weapons systems, a report has alleged.

US news website Newsweek reported that Beijing has reduced exports of high-precision machine tools to Moscow, possibly indicating that US sanctions are limiting Russia’s ability to wage war.

Newsweek was citing information released by MashTech, a Russian outlet that reports on the manufacturing industry in Russia.

The owner of a Russian machine-tool company, Ildar Nuriev, told MashTech that China “has restricted the supply of high-tech equipment...Before it was possible to obtain machines with an accuracy of 3 to 4 microns, now it’s no longer possible. A special export license is required.”

The machinery affected is critical for the production of missile and engine components and precision-guided systems, reported Newsweek.

“Over the past two years, it has become clear to me that you can be friends with everyone, but you need to rely on yourself,” Nuriev added.

‘Pro-Russia neutrality’

China has provided the Kremlin with substantial economic and diplomatic support in its ongoing war in Ukraine, but has stopped short of fully and publicly backing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “special military operation”.

Some analysts have described this strategy as “pro-Russia neutrality”, and demonstrates Beijing’s ability to deftly walk the line between subversion of the West and avoiding the international ostracism that Moscow has suffered as a result of its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Kyiv and Washington have previously said that Russia’s war effort makes use of intelligence supplied by Beijing, with a recent report alleging that Chinese satellites helped identify Ukrainian targets for Russian drone and missile strikes.

Moscow has also become increasingly reliant on China for revenue, being forced to sell energy to Beijing at cheaper prices after Europe largely weaned itself off of Russian gas in the years following Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

Trade between Russia and China has fallen in recent months, according to Newsweek, dropping almost 9% in the first eight months of 2025 compared to the same period last year.Chinese oil purchases from Russia have also fallen by 11% between January and May, the outlet reported, citing a report from The Moscow Times.