Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that two Chinese citizens fighting for Russian forces were captured by Ukrainian troops in the eastern Donetsk region.
The individuals were detained during combat and found carrying personal identification, including bank cards, according to Zelensky, who made the announcement in a post on social media. A video was also released showing one of the alleged fighters in custody, speaking Mandarin Chinese.
Zelensky added that intelligence suggests a larger presence of Chinese nationals within Russian military units.
“Our military captured two Chinese citizens who fought in the Russian army. This happened on Ukrainian territory — in the Donetsk region,” Zelensky said. “We have information suggesting there are many more Chinese citizens in the occupier’s units.”
Ukraine’s foreign ministry summoned China’s chargé d’affaires in Kyiv, demanding clarification from Beijing. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the incident undermines China’s credibility and questions its self-proclaimed neutral stance in the conflict.
“Chinese citizens fighting as part of Russia’s invasion army in Ukraine puts into question China’s declared stance for peace,” Sybiha said in a statement.
The US State Department called the reports “disturbing”, with a spokesperson describing China as a “major enabler” of Russia’s war, pointing to its provision of dual-use goods like semiconductors and aircraft parts.
Zelensky has urged the international community, including the US and Europe, to respond.
Russia and China have not issued any immediate statements in response to the claims.
Ukraine also reiterated its concerns about Russia’s deployment of North Korean troops. Zelensky drew a distinction between their involvement and China’s, noting that while North Koreans fought in Kursk, Chinese nationals were caught fighting directly on Ukrainian soil.
Beijing has previously denied supplying military aid to either side and continues to portray itself as a neutral actor in the war.
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Moscow currently controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory.
An investigation into the Chinese detainees is ongoing, with Ukrainian security services handling the case.
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