 "Why are Chinese soldiers fighting for Russia in Ukraine?")
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has made a series of explosive claims in recent days, alleging that more than 150 Chinese nationals are currently fighting in Ukraine alongside Russian troops.
Speaking to reporters in Kyiv, Zelenskyy stated, “There are 155 people with surnames, with passport data, 155 Chinese citizens fighting against Ukrainians on the territory of Ukraine. We are collecting information; we believe that there are many more of them.”
The statement followed the capture of two Chinese nationals in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region. Zelenskyy said the two individuals were detained separately while fighting with different Russian brigades.
The men have been identified as Wang Guangjun, born in 1991, and Zhang Renbo, born in 1998. One of the captured individuals reportedly confessed to paying 300,000 rubles (approximately $3,000) to a middleman in China to join the Russian military, lured by the promise of Russian citizenship.
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) is holding the captured fighters in Kyiv, and Kyiv has contacted Beijing to demand an explanation. The Ukrainian government summoned China’s chargé d’affaires to express condemnation and requested an official response.
How Chinese soldiers came to fight in Ukraine
Ukrainian intelligence documents reviewed by media outlets such as the Kyiv Independent show that at least 163 Chinese nationals are serving in Russia’s armed forces as of early April 2025.
One set of documents includes passport details and photographs of 13 Chinese recruits actively being processed for military service as of April 2.
According to Zelenskyy, Chinese nationals have been assigned to several Russian military units, including the 70th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade, the 71st Motorized Rifle Regiment, and the 255th Rifle Division.
Ukrainian intelligence has provided documents detailing each recruit’s personal information, arrival times at Russian military training centres, medical examinations, and subsequent deployment timelines to the frontlines in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy also claimed that some Chinese nationals had travelled to Moscow for initial assessments before undergoing military training lasting one to two months. The scheme by which these individuals are recruited appears to be largely online.
“The scheme of how they recruit them is clear. One of the schemes is through social networks, in particular TikTok and other Chinese social networks, where Russians distribute advertising videos,” he said.
Zelenskyy asserted that “officially Beijing knows about this,” while also acknowledging that parts of the recruitment may not be overt.
Additionally, social media accounts and open-source intelligence have previously indicated the presence of Chinese mercenaries in Ukraine. A report by the French newspaper Le Monde, published on April 6, identified about 40 Chinese individuals who claimed to have joined Russian forces.
In one case, a 37-year-old Chinese man was interviewed after returning home from Ukraine, having reportedly served as a foreign mercenary since July 2023.
Why the Chinese are fighting in Ukraine, some for Ukraine
The motivations behind Chinese citizens joining the conflict are varied and often personal rather than political, reported The Economist. Many are drawn by the lure of high pay, especially when contrasted with modest incomes back home.
One 23-year-old from Gansu, previously a firefighter earning 3,000 yuan per month, reportedly travelled to Moscow in 2023 after seeing online promises of much higher wages as a mercenary.
Others have been swayed by patriotic sentiment or even cinematic portrayals of war. A man using the alias “Red Macaron” on Douyin said he was inspired by Chinese war films and found it easier to obtain a visa to Russia.
Some, like Zhao Rui from Chongqing, were motivated by anti-Japanese animus and a desire to fight perceived enemies of China. However, many of these fighters have expressed regret. Zhao posted warnings on social media before being killed by a Ukrainian drone, urging others not to follow his path.
Others described inhumane treatment by Russian commanders, including being used as expendable resources and imprisoned after raising complaints. While the majority of these Chinese fighters have joined the Russian side, a smaller number have volunteered for Ukraine.
One such case is Peng Chenliang from Yunnan, who had earlier been detained in China for pro-Ukraine views and later died serving in Ukraine’s foreign legion. His final message was a symbolic video featuring Taiwan’s flag, aligning himself with past East Asian volunteers who died fighting for Kyiv.
What China has said on the matter
Beijing has firmly denied allegations that it is supporting or facilitating the deployment of Chinese nationals to fight in Ukraine.
Speaking at a press briefing in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said, “The Chinese government has always asked its citizens to stay away from areas of armed conflict, avoid any form of involvement in armed conflict, and in particular avoid participation in any party’s military operations.”
Lin added, “We call on the relevant party to be correct and sober about China’s role and refrain from making irresponsible remarks.”
China reiterated its longstanding stance of promoting a peaceful resolution to the war and insisted that it was verifying the Ukrainian claims.
Despite China’s denials, the government has been widely recognised as one of Russia’s key economic allies during the conflict. While Beijing has not sent weapons or troops to support Russia, it has become a critical lifeline to Moscow by purchasing large quantities of Russian oil, gas, and minerals.
Additionally, China has supplied significant volumes of dual-use goods such as engines and electronics that can serve both civilian and military purposes.
China and Russia declared a “friendship without limits” just days before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Although Beijing has stopped using that terminology since the war escalated, the bilateral partnership remains strong in geopolitical and economic terms.
How others have reacted to the news
The capture of Chinese nationals has raised global concern about the increasing internationalisation of the war. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Zelenskyy warned that the presence of foreign fighters from countries like China signals Russian President Vladimir Putin’s continued intent to prolong the war.
“Russia’s involvement of China, along with other countries, whether directly or indirectly, in this war in Europe is a clear signal that Putin intends to do anything but end the war,” he wrote.
We continue to investigate all the circumstances surrounding the involvement of Chinese citizens in the Russian occupation forces.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 10, 2025
The Security Service of Ukraine is carrying out the necessary procedural actions with the POWs recently captured in the Donetsk region. At the same… pic.twitter.com/beLlin1Qut
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also reacted strongly, stating, “Chinese citizens fighting as part of Russia’s invasion army in Ukraine puts into question China’s declared stance for peace and undermines Beijing’s credibility as a responsible permanent member of the UN Security Council.”
We strongly condemn Russia‘s involvement of Chinese citizens in its war of aggression against Ukraine, as well as their participation in combat against Ukrainian forces.
— Andrii Sybiha 🇺🇦 (@andrii_sybiha) April 8, 2025
We have summoned China's chargé d'affaires in Ukraine to the Foreign Ministry to condemn this fact and demand… https://t.co/LoXHDoIQsu
Meanwhile, the US State Department described the reports as “disturbing,” with spokesperson Tammy Bruce noting that Washington is closely monitoring the situation. “We’re aware of those reports,” Bruce said on April 8.
“Partner, friend, and comrade. China has always taken a very balanced position, so Zelensky is wrong,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Thursday.
North Korea has previously sent troops to Russia to support the Kremlin’s efforts. In 2024, approximately 12,000 North Korean troops were deployed to Russia’s Kursk Oblast, and Ukrainian forces reportedly captured two North Korean soldiers in January 2025.
However, the Chinese nationals now captured were found on Ukrainian soil, suggesting a potentially new phase of foreign involvement in the war.
Zelenskyy, while cautious about assigning blame directly to the Chinese state, maintained that Kyiv would continue to investigate and hold talks with Beijing. “We record that these are Chinese citizens, they are fighting against us, using weapons against Ukrainians on the territory of Ukraine,” he said.
The Ukrainian president also suggested he would be open to negotiating a prisoner exchange involving the captured Chinese nationals.
With inputs from agencies
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