Beijing, China — The Chinese government has denied any official involvement in the presence of its citizens on the Ukrainian battlefield after two Chinese nationals were captured by Ukrainian forces while fighting alongside Russian troops in the eastern Donetsk region.
According to Chinese officials and testimony from one of the captured individuals, the men joined the Russian military voluntarily and were not part of any formal deployment by the Chinese state.
RELATED NEWS : Ukraine claims that over 150 Chinese fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed Tuesday that two Chinese nationals had been taken prisoner in combat. On Wednesday, he cited Ukrainian intelligence reports estimating that at least 155 Chinese citizens are currently serving with Russian forces in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy claimed that many of these individuals may have been recruited through social media campaigns, including videos posted on TikTok and other Chinese platforms. He also suggested the possibility of covert recruitment methods employed by Moscow, though he stopped short of accusing the Chinese government of direct involvement.
“I believe the Chinese authorities are aware of this type of recruitment,” Zelenskyy said, adding that Ukraine is closely monitoring the situation.
In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian reiterated China’s official position of neutrality in the conflict and denied any state-sanctioned participation by Chinese citizens in the war.
“China’s stance on the Ukraine crisis is consistent and well-recognized by the international community,” Lin said during a press briefing. He confirmed that Beijing is in contact with Kyiv to verify the reported capture of Chinese nationals and stressed that the Chinese government advises its citizens to avoid war zones and not engage in any military activities abroad.
Fighting for Citizenship
One of the captured Chinese men told Ukrainian authorities that he paid an intermediary in China 30,000 rubles (approximately $350) to join the Russian army. His stated goal was to obtain Russian citizenship and pursue a military career.
According to Ukrainian military sources cited by Ukrainska Pravda, the prisoner said he had traveled to Russia as a tourist before enlisting and claimed that some of his fellow Chinese fighters had criminal backgrounds in their home country.
He also revealed that the group received military training in the Russian-occupied Luhansk region, communicating with Russian commanders using gestures and mobile phone translation apps due to the lack of interpreters.
International Response
The U.S. has reacted with concern to the reports of Chinese nationals fighting for Russia. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said at a press conference that China has become a “major enabler” of Russia’s war effort, supplying nearly 80% of the dual-use goods that support Russia’s military operations.
Zelenskyy said the two captured men were part of a group of six Chinese nationals encountered by Ukrainian troops in Donetsk. He warned that this precedent is “deeply concerning,” especially in the context of growing international involvement in the conflict. He referenced North Korea’s reported deployment of over 10,000 soldiers to assist Russian forces.
Zelenskyy urged the U.S. and European allies to take action to prevent further escalation and to address the potential participation of Chinese nationals in Russia’s aggression.
SOURCE : EFE. | Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube |
