A Russian military-affiliated blogger has drawn criticism from Chinese defense observers after suggesting the use of anti-ship missiles against China’s latest amphibious assault ship during its sea trials, according to Defence Blog on December 1.
The post, published by Ilya Tumanov under the pseudonym “Fighterbomber” on Telegram, included a photograph of the Type 076 vessel Sichuan reportedly taken by Russian sailors near Shanghai.
“Subscribers at sea caught sight of the Universal Amphibious Assault Ship Type 076 ‘Sichuan’ undergoing sea trials near Shanghai. I wonder how many Kh-31As would be needed to sink it,” Tumanov wrote.
According to Defence Blog, Tumanov is believed to be an active-duty officer in the Russian Aerospace Forces. The Kh-31A is a Russian supersonic anti-ship missile designed to engage large surface targets.
The post quickly spread across Chinese open-source intelligence (OSINT) communities, with users identifying the sailors who allegedly took the photo.
Online reactions ranged from calls to ban the individuals from entering China to demands for a formal response from Russia’s defense ministry. Several commentators on Chinese platforms such as Weibo described the remarks as hostile and damaging to bilateral trust.
China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has not issued an official statement, but state-linked military media emphasized the strategic significance of the Sichuan.
According to Defence Blog, the ship is the lead vessel in the new Type 076 class and is designed for multi-domain operations, featuring a full-length flight deck, elevators for aircraft handling, and an electromagnetic catapult system optimized for unmanned aerial vehicles. It is also expected to support next-generation fighter jets, including the J-35.
With an estimated full-load displacement of 40,000 tons, the Type 076 represents a shift in China’s naval capabilities, especially in terms of force projection and integration of unmanned systems. According to Defence Blog, the Sichuan is scheduled to become fully operational by the end of 2026.
Defence Blog noted that Chinese social media users have urged authorities to take action against both the individuals who captured the image and the blogger who shared it, framing the episode as a test of the limits of informal defense cooperation between the two nations.
Earlier, China was accused of systematically copying Russian weapons systems through espionage and cyberattacks. Beijing reduced arms imports from Russia by 40% between 2009 and 2023 after reverse-engineering dozens of systems, including the Su-27-based J-11 jet and the S-300-like HQ-9.
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