The world’s largest commercial drone-maker DJI has suspended all business activities in Russia and Ukraine.

Since the start of the war, Ukraine has urged the company to take steps to stop its drones being used by Russia.

The Chinese firm said the decision was not a statement about any country, and its drones are not for military use.

But Taras Troiak, chairman of the Ukrainian Federation of UAV Owners, told the BBC he doubted it would stop Russia’s military using DJI drones.

He said that stores’ supplies of drones might run out in a few months but, in his opinion, they could be easily smuggled into Russia from China.

The drones are being used by Russia’s military for short-range reconnaissance, he says. In Mr Troiak’s view they are used “to look around, to find any soldiers around and to make sure that nobody is very close to you”.