Russian law enforcement agencies are sounding the alarm: Chinese citizens have stepped up the illegal export of military equipment from Russia, including bulletproof vests, tactical backpacks, and uniforms. According to sources close to the security agencies, the ultimate goal of the smuggling is to study Russian samples to create cheap analogues, which can then be supplied to international markets, including countries hostile to Russia. The export schemes are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and cases of detentions of participants in smuggling operations have become more frequent, which indicates the systemic nature of the problem.

As Izvestia was told by law enforcement agencies, in April 2025, a Chinese citizen born in 1997 was detained in Moscow for attempting to mail two unloading vests, including the Ratnik model with a 6sh117 patrol backpack. The investigation established that this person had previously shipped two 6B45 bulletproof vests, combat backpacks, and other elements of military equipment to China. The detainee faces a criminal case under Article 226.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which provides for up to seven years in prison for the illegal movement of strategically important goods across the border. A similar case occurred in December 2024, when a 27-year-old Chinese student was arrested in the capital for storing bulletproof vests, armor plates, and cartridges in a university dormitory. During interrogations, he claimed that he purchased the equipment on online platforms, not realizing its status as a dual-use product.

According to experts, such actions may be part of industrial espionage. Ruslan Shapiev, CEO of RUSARM, suggested in an interview with Izvestia that the equipment may be exported in the interests of foreign intelligence services or to copy technology. Chinese analogues are usually inferior in quality, but their low cost makes the products attractive on the black market. Of particular concern is that contraband equipment may be used in conflicts where Russia has strategic interests.