Chinese-made mesh modems are giving Russian drones longer-range control over Ukraine

• Mesh networking chips from Shenzhen Xingkai Technology have been found to be installed in Russian drones in Ukraine
• The discovery was made after a Gerbera was downed during a recent attack on Ukrainian targets
• The discovery was made after a Gerbera was downed during a recent attack on Ukrainian targets

Russian drones are using Chinese mesh networking technology to communicate over Ukraine, a new investigation has claimed.

Technology recently retrieved from a downed Gerbera drone in Ukraine kicked off research into the hardware, but it remains unclear whether Shenzhen Xinghai Technology was aware of the destination of its mesh networking hardware.

Although traces of the mesh modems were found in drones as far back as 2024, it is thought Russia embraced mesh technology following the blocking of its access to Starlink in February 2026.

The path to Shenzhen

Embedding superior networking technology in its drones gives Russia an advantage, and according to the CIA, Gerberas could be used to attack Europe.

Following 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 one centered on a mesh modem found in a Gerbera drone also equipped with a vertical stabilizer.

Working with independent investigators Nordsint, whose investigator posted as a Russian military supply chain business, it was established that Xingkai Tech was both supplier and sole manufacturer of the hardware.

The mesh modems were being shipped directly to 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 within Shenzhen Xingkai Technology’s hardware. AMD told the publication:

“Xingkai Technology is not an AMD customer or authorized partner, and AMD has not sold products to the company. AMD complies with all applicable U.S. export control and sanctions laws and strictly prohibits the export or reexport of AMD products to Russia in violation of those requirements.”

Growing Russian reach

The discovery that Russia is employing mesh networking to direct its drones has raised further concern about the scale of its operations. With the technology to hold its UAV fleets in formation using mesh networking, Russia has the capability to direct its craft against targets further afield.

Spain’s El Mundo newspaper reported earlier in 2026 that US intelligence has informed European governments that Russia could launch drone strikes on any Mediterranean country. A Lithuanian government official was quoted on condition of anonymity, stating "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 leveraging its “shadow fleet” of seagoing vessels. Consequently, the discovery of mesh technology in the Gerbera drones makes the risk of attack seem more likely – should Russia wish to extend itself and its military resources further.