Remember when battlefield photos revealed Russian troops were using a Chinese-made armored vehicle?

Beijing has been adamant that China has not provided material military assistance to Russia for use in its invasion of Ukraine. However, photos revealed that a group of Russian troops did get their hands on a Chinese armored vehicle and they may have been using it in Ukraine

Images posted on social media in September 2024 reportedly showed Russian troops using a Chinese-made ZFB-05 Xinxing armored vehicle in Ukraine according to the Ukrainian military website Militarnyi. 

Photo Credit: Telegram @Ugolok_Sitha

The photos were published by the Telegram channel Vodograi and originally posted on the social medal network by a channel called ‘Ugolok Sitha’ (Corner of the Sith). The images showed Russian soldiers standing in front of the Chinese armored vehicle.

Photo Credit: Telegram @Ugolok_Sitha

“The images show the ZFB-05 Xinxing armored vehicle, equipped with anti-drone hood protection, reinforced windshield and side projection protection, and a machine gun nest,” Miltarnyi reported. 

Photo Credit: Telegram @Ugolok_Sitha

Militarnyi also reported ZFB-05 armored vehicles were first reportedly spotted with Russian troops in June 2023 being used by the Federal Service of the National Guard of the Russian Federation—a group more commonly referred to as Rosgvardia. 

“Eight of these armored vehicles were seen in service with the Chechen special rapid response unit Akhmat, which is part of the Russian Guard,” Militarnyi explained. 

Photo Credit: Wiki Commons By Легендарные подразделения от Геннадия Дубового, CC BY 3.0

“It is unclear whether the photos show a vehicle that belongs to Akhmatov forces, or whether the Russian Armed Forces are purchasing new vehicles,” Militarnyi added.

Photo Credit: Telegram @Ugolok_Sitha

It is also important to note that it was unclear at the time if the images were taken inside Ukraine. Ugolok Sitha did indicate in a description posted alongside the images that the vehicles were being used inside Russia’s Special Military Operation zone in Ukraine. 

Photo Credit: Telegram @Ugolok_Sitha

Around the same time, images of Chinese-made armored vehicles had been published online. In August 2024, images began circulating online showing a Chinese armored tactical vehicle in use by Moscow Metro. 

According to Newsweek, the Russian Telegram channel ‘Avtobusy y Vobbechle’ posted a picture of a Chinese Dongfeng armored vehicle with a description that read: "Moscow Metro continues to arm itself.”

Photo Credit: Telegram @busandall

Newsweek noted that the Russian Telegram channel normally covered public transport issues and explained that the channel reported the armored vehicle was bought by the security department responsible for the Moscow subway system 

Photo Credit: Telegram @busandall

Evidence lending some credence to the claim could be found on the Chinese armored vehicle itself since the black tactical vehicle had the logo of Moscow’s subway system emblazoned on the side of the armored truck in red paint. 

Photo Credit: Telegram @busandall

The pro-Russian media outlet Tsargrad also reported that the all-terrain vehicle in the image was allegedly registered as “civilian special equipment” and had a license plate that was normally reserved for tractors according to Newsweek. 

Photo Credit: Screenshot YouTube @user-zu8ku4iu5p

Defense News wrote that the sighting of the Chinese armored vehicle in Moscow “raises questions, as it is unusual for a metro system to require an armored vehicle,” and added that the license plate and weaponized turret were also concerning. 

Photo Credit: Screenshot YouTube @user-zu8ku4iu5p / Edited by The Daily Digest

“Even more perplexing is that the vehicle, which is classified in China as a military anti-terrorist vehicle capable of withstanding hits from the AK-47 rifle, has been given civilian “tractor” license plates in Russia,” Defense Express explained. 

Photo Credit: Telegram @busandall / Edited by The Daily Digest

Militarnyi also reported on claims and it identified the Chinese armored vehicle as the Dongfeng EQ2091XFB but noted the vehicle did not have the Chinese automobile manufacturer's 'Dongfeng' logo on it. 

Photo Credit: Screenshot YouTube @user-zu8ku4iu5p

“The vehicle was transferred to Russia with an armored turret, usually equipped with a heavy machine gun,” Militaryni noted. It also pointed out that a Dongfeng EQ2091XFB costs $130,000 but can be twice as expensive when all its options are added. 

Photo Credit: Screenshot YouTube @user-zu8ku4iu5p

The Dongfeng EQ2091XFB is classified as an all-terrain vehicle in China and is offered to law enforcement agencies. Militarnyi reported that the Moscow subway systems security unit had received several other Chinese armored vehicles in the months before August 2024. 

Photo Credit: Telegram @busandall

“Over the past four months, the Russian subway’s transport security unit has received its fourth ballistic-protected vehicle: the first was the RIDA Buran, then the Z-STS Akhmat, then the Patrol, and now the Chinese Dongfeng has joined them,” Militarnyi noted. 

Photo Credit: Telegram @busandall

Why Moscow Metro needed such vehicles for protecting its subway systems was questioned by Defense News, which noted that the “notion of an anti-terrorist armored vehicle for the metro operations [seemed] absurd.”

The likely answer as to why Moscow bought these advanced armored vehicles for its subway system’s protection was that the weapon was acquired to help establish a new internal security force approved by the Russian government in 2023. However, this was just speculation. 

Photo Credit: Telegram @busandall

In April 2023, regulations were approved allowing the Moscow mayor’s office to create a new security structure that could coordinate with Rosgvardiya (the National Guard of Russia) in the protection of the city’s subway system. 

“While the police will continue to guard the entrances and exits of the Moscow metro stations, the establishment of the departmental security service by the city has led to speculation and jokes among the Russians about the creation of the Metro private military company or a similar entity,” Defense News noted in its report. 

“However, these jokes may be taking on a more serious tone,” Defense News added, writing that there was speculation the security force could evolve into a private military company that could be deployed to the war in Ukraine. The images released in September do suggest that some of these armored vehicles could have been sent to be used in Ukraine. 

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