Russia has agreed to train and equip Chinese airborne troops as Beijing prepares for a possible confrontation over Taiwan, according to leaked documents obtained by hackers and reviewed by analysts.
The cache, released by a group called Black Moon, contains around 800 pages of contractual details that outline how Moscow would supply airborne systems, amphibious assault vehicles, and training for an elite Chinese paratrooper battalion, along with specialist equipment for special forces infiltration. Analysts at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), a British military think tank, verified parts of the material and said other sections appeared authentic, though they could not rule out alterations.
The Times UK reported that the documents show Russia will provide 37 light amphibious assault vehicles, 11 anti-tank self-propelled guns, Rakushka airborne personnel carriers, and Dalnolyot parachute systems designed for dropping heavy loads. Training is expected to take place in Russian military facilities, including Kurgan and Penza, with Chinese crews embedded alongside Russian instructors.
Experts said the deal highlights China’s recognition that, despite its rapid military build-up under President Xi Jinping, it still lacks combat experience and airborne operational expertise. Russia, meanwhile, brings battlefield lessons from Ukraine, where its airborne forces staged the early — though ultimately unsuccessful — assault on Hostomel airport near Kyiv in 2022.
“The greatest value of the deal to the PLA [People’s Liberation Army] is most likely in the training and procedures for command and control of airborne forces, as Russia’s airborne forces have combat experience, while the PLA does not,” analysts Oleksandr Danylyuk and Jack Watling of RUSI wrote in their assessment.
The growing military partnership underscores the tightening strategic bond between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping. Analysts suggest it may also reflect Moscow’s gratitude for Beijing’s tacit support during the war in Ukraine, where China has defended Russian arguments, opposed Western sanctions, and allowed companies to supply critical components to Russia’s defense sector.
Despite a historically uneasy relationship, Russia and China have drawn closer in response to U.S. power. Moscow, once reluctant to share sensitive technology, now appears willing to deepen military-industrial cooperation, viewing a potential Taiwan conflict as a way to strengthen its leverage as a supplier of raw materials and defense know-how.
