Updated on April 10, 2025, 07:30 HAD.
TAIPIEI, TAIWAN – The Ukrainian security service proves that more than 150 Chinese citizens are fighting alongside the Russian troops, said President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, following the capture of two Chinese soldiers in eastern Ukraine.
Zelenskyy, in an article on X, said that Ukraine worked to verify all the details concerning the two Chinese soldiers captured and others with the invasion forces of Russia.
“Ukraine believes that such a blatant involvement of Chinese citizens in hostilities in the territory of Ukraine during the war of aggression is a deliberate step towards the expansion of war and is yet another indication that Moscow simply needs to lead to fighting,” said Zelenskyy on Wednesday.
“It certainly requires an answer,” he said.
On April 8, Ukraine said that Chinese soldiers had been captured in the Oblast region of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine. Identification documents, bank cards and other personal information has been found on them. The captured Chinese nationals are held by the Ukraine security service, or SBU.
Zelenskyy did not say that Chinese nationals had been sent by Beijing, but the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine summoned Chinese affairs to protest and demand an explanation.
On Wednesday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that he was still checking the facts, the spokesman, Lin Jian, adding that his government “still demanded that his citizens remain away from the armed conflict zones”.
Twenty-four hours later, the claim of President Zelenskyy of dozens of Chinese soldiers in Ukraine caused a clearer response at the ministry’s regular press conference.
“We advise the relevant parties to have a correct and clear understanding of the role of China and not to make irresponsible comments,” said Lin.
The United States and South Korea have estimated that North Korea, an ally of Russia and China, sent up to 12,000 soldiers to serve in the Kursk Russia region, which was partly occupied by a Ukrainian counter-offensive.
Ukraine Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha said that the presence of Chinese soldiers in Ukraine “undermines Beijing’s credibility as a permanent member responsible for the United Nations Security Council”.
The spokesman for the US State Department Tammy Bruce described reports as “disturbing” and said that cooperation between the nuclear powers in China and Russia would increase global instability.
“China is a major facilitator of Russia in the war in Ukraine,” she said. “China provides almost 80% of the double -use items that Russia needs to maintain war.”
This month, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and told the Russian state media that China was ready to play a “constructive role” in war resolution.
Beijing professes a neutral position on the conflict between Moscow and Kyiv. It also provides Russia with electronic components that could be used in weapons systems.
Edited by Mike Firn and Stephen Wright.
Updated to add Chinese comments from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.