Russia has agreed to supply and train China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in airborne assault tactics — including the airdrop of armored vehicles and special forces — as part of a covert military cooperation deal aimed at preparing for a possible invasion of Taiwan, according to leaked contracts and internal correspondence reviewed by security analysts Oleksandr V. Danylyuk and Dr. Jack Watling in a new commentary from the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).
The documents, reportedly obtained by the hacktivist group Black Moon, reveal that Moscow will provide Beijing with equipment, training, and technology to enable large-scale airborne operations — a capability China has long sought but has little combat experience implementing. The deal is part of a broader PLA effort to diversify invasion options ahead of 2027, the deadline Chinese President Xi Jinping has set for the military to be capable of seizing Taiwan.
A direct amphibious landing on Taiwan — long viewed as the most likely scenario in a Chinese invasion — carries enormous risk. Beaches suitable for landing craft are few, and airfields can be quickly disabled, as Russia discovered during its failed attempt to seize Hostomel Airport in the early hours of its invasion of Ukraine. According to the documents, Beijing is seeking to reduce these risks by developing the ability to rapidly airlift troops and armor into Taiwan from the air.
Russia’s experience in airborne operations gives it an edge over China in this domain, and the leaked contracts show Moscow agreed to sell Beijing a full battalion’s worth of airborne weapons and equipment, as well as comprehensive training for operators and support personnel.
The deal reportedly includes 37 BMD-4M light amphibious assault vehicles, 11 Sprut-SDM1 self-propelled anti-tank guns, 11 BTR-MDM “Rakushka” armored personnel carriers, and several Rubin and KSHM-E command vehicles. All will be modified to integrate Chinese command, control, and communication systems.
Russian instructors will train Chinese paratroopers in operating the vehicles, while crews will receive specialized instruction at facilities in Kurgan and Penza. Collective battalion-level exercises will follow in China, supported by Russian personnel, to develop tactics for landing, fire control, and maneuver.
The capability to air-drop armored vehicles into areas like golf courses or open ground near ports and airfields would allow Chinese airborne forces to establish footholds and clear paths for follow-on forces. “The capacity to airdrop armored vehicles … would allow air assault troops to significantly increase their combat power,” the commentary said.
The agreements also include the transfer of “Dalnolyot” long-range parachute systems for covertly inserting equipment and special forces from high altitudes. These systems could enable Chinese operatives to infiltrate territory undetected, creating offensive options not just against Taiwan but also other regional targets like the Philippines.
Airborne operations could also give Beijing flexibility beyond Taiwan. In the event of a wider conflict, airborne troops with organic firepower and mobility could seize strategic terrain elsewhere in the region — including airfields that might support U.S. operations countering a Taiwan invasion.
The contracts involve some of Russia’s leading defense manufacturers, including Kurganmashzavod (armored vehicles), NPP Rubin (command vehicles), PJSC Il (Il-76/78 transport aircraft), and KBP Instrument Design Bureau (weapons systems). China’s side includes state-owned giants such as AVIC, CETC, and NORINCO.
Historically, Moscow has been cautious about exporting advanced technologies to China due to concerns over intellectual property theft. But the war in Ukraine — and the Kremlin’s desire to shape a future geopolitical order divided into rival blocs — has accelerated defense cooperation. The commentary notes that Moscow sees the potential conflict over Taiwan as an opportunity to deepen its strategic value to Beijing as a supplier of raw materials and military-industrial capacity.
For Beijing, financing Russian defense projects also helps sustain Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine, tying down NATO resources in Europe while China prepares for potential conflict in the Indo-Pacific.
The documents suggest China’s ambitions go beyond acquiring hardware. Russia’s experience in airborne operations — and the command-and-control procedures that underpin them — appears to be the most valuable part of the deal. With the PLA lacking real-world combat experience in airborne warfare, training with Russian instructors and equipment could help close a key operational gap.
If verified, the revelations indicate a deepening of Sino-Russian military integration and a new phase in Beijing’s preparations for a potential war over Taiwan — one that could see armored vehicles and special forces descending from the skies.