Why US officials believe China could send 'lethal support' to Russia

Tonight, lethal support. As U.S. officials warn, Beijing may soon supply weapons to Russia to use in Ukraine, but already there are signs that China is providing crucial help to prop up Putin's forces. Will Ripley has more in this out front investigation. What will it take to stop the suffering, the senseless slaughter of Russia's unprovoked war on Ukraine? One year in, President Vladimir Putin has a problem. Ammo is running low.

The U.S. government says Russia will run out of serviceable ammunition this year. Moscow denies they have a fading arsenal, forcing their military to conserve unless they get help. Help the U.S. and NATO say could come from China.

To date, we have seen Chinese companies, and of course in China there's really no distinction between private companies and the state. We have seen them provide non-lethal support. To Russia, for use in Ukraine. The concern that we have now is based on information we have that they're considering providing lethal support. China denies it, calling the claims unfounded, a ploy, a smear. Beijing and Moscow declared a no-limits partnership last year. CNN obtained a new report showing Moscow may already be getting a boost on the battlefields from Beijing.

Troves of trade data collected and supplied by the Center for Advanced Studies, a D.C. think tank. The data shows China sending Russian defense companies sophisticated parts. We see the nature of these parts being labeled explicitly for use in military systems. CNN did not verify the data, showing a steady supply of parts, dramatically increasing after the invasion. They could be helping Russia resupply.

Rotors for attack helicopters, other parts for communications and controls, radar antenna parts for anti-aircraft missile systems, sent to a Russian defense company labeled for military use, the think tank says. Their data shows military assistance from several Chinese companies, even before the war. Dual-use aircraft, radar and lab equipment, flowing into Russia 268 times, shipped by Poly Group or its umbrella company Poly Technologies, a state-backed Chinese arms manufacturer. CNN contacted Poly Group for comment, along with several other Chinese companies shown in the data. So far, no response. Any trade between a sanctioned Chinese state-owned defense company and a Russian sanctioned defense company during wartime, any trade really at all, is indicative of a growing partnership that should potentially be of concern. The data implies deepening cooperation.

The U.S. suspects China of creeping closer and closer to fully supporting Russia's war. The consequences for Ukraine could be catastrophic. Sudden inflow of Chinese weapons into the Russians could fundamentally shift the dynamics in Moscow's favor. When asked about allegations of backing Moscow, Beijing blames Washington. Saying it's the U.

S., not China, providing a steady stream of weapons on the battlefield. Off the battlefield, trade data reveals Russia may be bypassing Western sanctions, buying blacklisted advanced technology from Beijing, the kind of tech Putin's army needs to power high-tech weapons and communication systems. Why would China risk so much for Russia? It's in their interest to have a Russian victory. And to have the United States and its allies humiliated. Russia's president and China's top diplomat meeting in Moscow Wednesday, just two days after President Biden's surprise trip to Kiev, democracy and autocracy, a fight for the future of Ukraine, and perhaps the free world. The Chinese Foreign Minister made that high-profile visit to Moscow just before the one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

And that meeting is widely believed to be a precursor for a meeting in the coming months between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. What exactly they're going to discuss remains an open question, whether it's China's widely publicized peace plan or something else. But what is clear is that this cooperation, this tie between Russia and China remains rock solid. The world's two largest authoritarian powers, both nuclear armed, okay? Well, thank you so much. And CNN has reached out to Russia for comment on this report, but hasn't gotten a response. Kremlin spokesman Tmitry Peskov pushed back on reports of ammunition shortages, though telling The Wall Street Journal this, that Russia has enough technological potential to ensure its security and conduct the special military operation. This potential is constantly being improved.

world news, ukraine & russia, top news, will ripley, china, military aid, vladimir putin, xi jinping, erin burnett out front