DJI Technology Co., the world’s largest drone manufacturer, has temporarily ceased commercial operations in Russia and Ukraine to prevent the use of their drones in conflict, in a rare occurrence of a Chinese corporation withdrawing from Russia due to the war.
“DJI is reassessing compliance requirements in various jurisdictions internally.” “DJI will temporarily cease all commercial activity in Russia and Ukraine pending the outcome of the present assessment,” the firm stated in a statement posted Tuesday.
Over the course of the war, Russia has been subjected to a barrage of sanctions. Many Western brands and corporations have also pulled out of the Russian market as a result of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, while Chinese enterprises have continued to operate there. Beijing has refrained from overtly condemning Russia in relation to the war.
Chinese corporations have mostly been silent on how they would deal with the consequences of the penalties.
Both Ukraine and Russia are suspected of employing DJI drones in conflict, despite the company’s claims that its aircraft are only for civilian use.
Ukraine’s Vice Prime Minister, Mykhailo Federov, sent an open letter last month pleading with DJI to stop selling drones in Russia, claiming that Russian military were using “DJI devices in Ukraine to manoeuvre their missiles to kill civilians.”
“Are you sure you want to be a partner in these killings, @DJIGlobal?” Fedorov of Ukraine had tweeted.
“Block your items that aid Russia in killing Ukrainians!”
The AeroScope technology, which is integrated in DJI drones, detects and monitors other drones and their operators in the vicinity using specific receivers. The Russians are suspected of utilising the AeroScope technology to target Ukraine drone operators.
DJI has denied reports that it supplied data on Ukraine’s military locations to Russia, after the removal of DJI items from German store Mediamarkt’s shelves due to Russia’s deployment of DJI drones in the battle.
DJI claimed in a statement last week that its drones are neither advertised or sold for military purposes. It stated that it “vehemently opposes attempts to connect weapons” to its goods.
“We will never accept any usage of our goods that causes damage, and we will continue to strive to enhance the world via our work,” the business stated.
Human rights advocates have previously chastised DJI for allegedly assisting surveillance operations in China’s Xinjiang region, where an estimated one million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities have been arrested in a sweeping security crackdown.
The US Treasury Department sanctioned the company in December, prohibiting Americans from trading its shares — despite the fact that DJI is not publicly traded.
Another Chinese firm, Didi Global, overturned a plan to withdraw from Russia after being chastised by members of the Chinese public for caving in to Western pressure.