Thailand's Kremlin liaison. This is how Russia acquires equipment through the back door

Russia sharply increased imports of unmanned aerial vehicles from Thailand in 2025, and the deliveries consisted mainly of Chinese-made drones, Bloomberg found.

The analyzed customs registers show that from January to November 2025, Russia imported drones from Thailand worth $125 million, which accounted for 88%. total sales of these devices by Thailand during this period. In 2022, before the Kremlin's full-scale aggression against Ukraine, Thailand imported drones worth less than $1 million, and none of them were sent to Russia.

When the war broke out, Russia gradually increased its orders from Thailand, which also rapidly increased its purchases of Chinese drones. This import amounted to USD 186 million in 2025, eight times higher than the value from 2024.

Two Thai companies, Bangkok-based Skyhub Technologies Ltd., a registered car rental company, and China Thai Corp. were behind most of these transactions.

Data from the Big Trade Data trading platform show that in 2025, Skyhub imported drones worth $25 million, and China Thai Corp. in the same year, it imported thousands of drones for $144 million.

On the Chinese side, the main exporter of drones is their manufacturer Autel Robotics. According to the Israeli website +972 Magazine, his drones were used by the Israeli army in 2025 to attack civilians in the Gaza Strip.

Thailand's Customs Department Director General Phanthong Loykulnanta told Bloomberg that exports of Chinese drones from Thailand were in accordance with domestic law, but acknowledged that Thailand's Ministry of Commerce was “looking into the issue” and may tighten export controls.

In October, the European Union imposed sanctions on several companies based in Thailand for supporting the Russian military. (PAP)

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