Chinese Company Xingkai Technology Exposed for Supplying Mesh Modems for Russian Geran and Gerbera Drones

The Chinese company Shenzhen Xingkai Technology supplies Russia with equipment for the Geran and Gerbera drones, including mesh modems that enable communication and control of the drones during flight.

This is reported in an investigation by The Insider.

Journalists determined that the manufacturer’s products were shipped to Russia through the companies Atlant-Engineering and LT Global Forwarding. In customs declarations, the equipment was listed as antennas and remote control devices.

Investigators also examined a mesh modem found in a modified Russian Gerbera drone. They then contacted the Chinese manufacturer, posing as suppliers of military equipment for a factory in Alabuzha, where attack drones are manufactured.

A company representative confirmed that the device in question was the XK F-359 model and sent technical documentation, photographs, and a video of the devices from the warehouse. The equipment provided turned out to be identical to the sample examined in Ukraine.

In response to a request to supply 500 such modems to Alabuga, the manufacturer issued an invoice for ¥19.5 million, or approximately $2.87 million.

Despite the fact that the buyers explicitly stated the equipment’s military purpose, the Chinese side continued discussions on the deal and proposed payment via accounts at DBS Bank, Ping An Bank, and China Merchants Bank.

According to The Insider’s estimates, Shenzhen Xingkai Technology accounts for about half of the market for high-performance mesh modems for the Russian Geran and Gerber drones. These modems enable the transmission of commands between drones, particularly during flights deep into Ukrainian territory.

What is a mesh network and how do Russian drones use it?

A mesh network is a communication system in which devices can transmit data to one another via intermediate nodes. Thanks to this, drones are able to act as repeaters, ensuring communication with aircraft that are outside the operator’s direct line of sight.

As previously explained by Militarnyi, such a network can automatically reroute data transmission paths if the locations of its nodes change or if communication with individual devices is lost.

The XK F-359 modem provides communication over distances ranging from 100 to 300 km within line of sight. This allows Russian operators to transmit commands to drones deep within Ukrainian territory, change their missions during flight, and receive video from onboard cameras.

Chinese components in Russian drones

Shenzhen Xingkai Technology’s modems use programmable FPGA chips from the American company Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), which the Chinese manufacturer, according to its representative, obtains through intermediaries. Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) stated that it does not supply products directly to this company and has no partnership with it.

Journalists also discovered mesh modems from another Chinese manufacturer—Xi’an Sihou Network Technology—among the components of downed Russian drones.

Earlier, Militarnyi reported that Shenzhen Xingkai Technology is among a list of 11 Chinese companies that supply critical components for the production of Russian Molniya drones and are not subject to sanctions. In particular, the company provides equipment for mesh networks, which allow Russian drones to operate at greater distances from their operators.

In addition, it was reported that the Chinese state-owned company JLFIBER Jilin Chemical Fiber Group supplied Russia with raw materials for the production of carbon fiber, which is used in the production of Geran attack drones.

In January 2026, the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine identified Chinese XK-F358 radio modems manufactured by Shenzhen Xingkai Technology in new Russian Geran-5 jet drones. This equipment is designed for transmitting video and controlling drones via a mesh network.