Speaking on Wednesday, Shapps cited "new intelligence" that suggested Beijing was giving Moscow deadly "combat equipment" for the first time. Yesterday, the Ministry of Defence said it would not give further details.
It came just after Russia launched a new offensive in the north-east and relentlessly targeted Kharkiv, Ukraine's second city, with missiles and glide bombs. Yesterday, a strike on a printing house in the city killed seven and injured many more.
Previously, China has been accused by Washington of providing critical components used by Russia's military since its 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. These include microelectronics that have been fitted in tanks, missiles and other weapons.
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