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- Mesh networking chips from Shenzhen Xingkai Technology were found to be installed in Russian drones in Ukraine
- The discovery was made after a gerbera crashed during a recent attack on Ukrainian targets
- The discovery was made after a gerbera crashed during a recent attack on Ukrainian targets
Russian drones are using Chinese mesh network technology to communicate over Ukraine, a new investigation has claimed.
The technology, recently recovered from a downed Gerbera drone in Ukraine, has sparked research into the hardware, but it remains unclear whether Shenzhen Xinghai Technology was aware of the destination of its mesh network hardware.
Although traces of the mesh modems have been found in drones as far back as 2024, Russia is believed to have embraced mesh technology after blocking its access to Starlink in February 2026.
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The way to Shenzhen
The introduction of advanced network technology in its drones gives Russia an advantage, and according to the CIA, the Gerberas can be used to attack Europe.
After an earlier investigation in which it found that an order had been placed for 30 mesh modems to be shipped from Shenzhen Xingkai to Vladivostok in Russia, The Insider opened another probe. This centers on a mesh modem in a Gerbera drone, which is also equipped with a vertical stabilizer.
Working with independent investigators Nordsint, whose investigator was posted as a Russian military supply chain business, it was determined that Xingkai Tech was both the supplier and sole manufacturer of the hardware.
The mesh modems were sent directly to the Russian military suppliers in Alabuga for assembly with the Gerbera drones.
The insider’s report also highlighted the use of AMD FPGA (field-programmable gate array) chips in Shenzhen Xingkai Technology’s hardware. AMD told the publication:
“Xingkai Technology is not an AMD customer or authorized partner, and AMD has not sold any products to the company. AMD complies with all applicable US export control and sanctions laws and strictly prohibits the export or re-export of AMD products to Russia in violation of these requirements.”
Reach Russian growth
The discovery that Russia is using mesh networks to direct its drones has raised further concerns about the scale of its operations. With the technology to keep its UAV fleets in shape using mesh networks, Russia has the ability to direct its craft against targets further away.
The Spanish El Mundo newspaper reported earlier in 2026 that US intelligence informed European governments that Russia could launch drone attacks on any Mediterranean country. A Lithuanian government official was quoted on condition of anonymity, saying “They will use drones launched from the sea, hidden in the container of a ship; it is not difficult at all.”
The feasibility of the risk of attack pivots on the Kremlin using its “shadow fleet” of naval vessels. Therefore, the discovery of the mesh technology in the Gerbera drones makes the risk of an attack more likely – if Russia wants to further expand itself and its military resources.
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