. engineers at the drone factory hoped to use equipment from I Machine Technology to make some of the most challenging parts of the drone engines, according to a slide presentation detailing production plans at their facility.

The documents reviewed for this report do not indicate whether the official involved in the drone program went on the December trip to Taiwan. Nor do they say if the drone factory ultimately acquired the Taiwanese equipment.

During the trip, Bredikhin visited four of the Taiwanese machine tool manufacturers whose equipment he later imported, as well as one other, according to since-removed images and posts shared to Facebook and Instagram. At three of the facilities, he and Yu are pictured giving a thumbs up.

Bredikhin told The Post his firm “offered Chinese machinery for drone production” but said that he didn’t know the specifics and that his firm does not “currently” have any active contracts with the drone factory. He did not respond to follow-up questions about whether his firm supplied equipment to the factory at any point.

Bredikhin denied sending the invitation. He did not respond after being told the document appears to bear his signature.

For the Sochi retreat in June, Yu was accompanied by three other people from Taiwan, one an executive with another of the companies whose equipment was imported by Bredikhin, according to travel booking data obtained by a Ukrainian hacking group and reviewed by The Post. Images show the four individuals at the party.

Bredikhin said in the interview that the Taiwanese attendees were his “old friends.” He said that he invited them “to drink vodka” and that no business was discussed during the trip.

Yu said he was in Turkey for business and traveled to Sochi because “even though there’s no business, we are still friends.”

At the retreat, speaking to Yu in Mandarin, Bredikhin reflected on their business relationship.

“I think us meeting and getting to know each other was truly fortuitous,” Bredikhin said on video.

After he spoke, the men embraced.

Ilyushina reported from Riga, Latvia. Kuo and Wu reported from Taipei.