In early October, players from Portugal’s national football team, including Cristiano Ronaldo — one of the greatest footballers in history and the first footballer to become a billionaire — promoted vehicles made by Chinese automotive giant Changan Automobile. The advertisement was featured on the company’s main website.
Journalists found that Russian forces use Changan Automobile pickup trucks to launch drones at Ukraine, including Geran drones.
This was reported by Slidstvo.Info.
In May 2026, the Portuguese Football Federation signed a sponsorship agreement with the Chinese company Changan Automobile. According to the automaker’s management, this created an opportunity for “brand engagement across the region.”
Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Changan Automobile has not only remained on the Russian market but has also expanded its presence there. According to data from automotive industry analytics group Inovev, the company began exporting more vehicles to Russia to fill the gap in the market left by the departure of European and American companies.
Journalists found that some Changan vehicles, including the Hunter pickup truck, are being used by the Russian military in its war against Ukraine as launch platforms for attack drones. These drones are known to strike both military targets and civilians.
The journalists contacted Changan Automobile for comment on this issue, but the company did not respond. They also contacted the Portuguese Football Federation with a related question. The Federation replied that its sponsorship agreement with China’s Changan had undergone a “rigorous” compliance process.
“Stay in the Game!”
Journalists identified Hunter pickup trucks in military videos showing Russian forces launching drones from these vehicles.
In July 2026, a Changan Hunter appeared in a video published by Russian propagandist Vladimir Solovyov. The footage shows Russian soldiers in camouflage and masks assembling drones, including Geran drones, and equipping them with explosive devices. The drones are then launched from a Hunter pickup truck as it speeds along.
In January 2025, the Hunter was featured in a media campaign by Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. He announced that five armoured Changan pickup trucks were being sent to the “special military operation.”
The advertising on Changan Automobile’s website, however, looked rather different. Five players from Portugal’s national football team, including Cristiano Ronaldo, were pictured above five different vehicles, including the Hunter, accompanied by the slogan: “Stay in the Game!”
“In football, staying ‘in the game’ means giving it your all — every tackle, every second of concentration, and every precise pass,” said Mi Mendong, Vice President of Changan Automobile, according to a press release announcing the launch of the sponsorship campaign in May.
