China’s soldiers now in Ukraine’s war? What is known

Contents

• First Chinese nationals captured by Ukraine’s Armed Forces
• Zelenskyy expects a response from international partners
• Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry summons China’s chargé d’affaires
• Chinese soldiers in the war vs. Beijing's "peaceful" plan

First Chinese nationals captured by Ukraine’s Armed Forces

On April 8, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukrainian troops had captured two Chinese citizens who were fighting on the side of Russia.

The incident occurred in the combat zone in the Donetsk region, specifically near Tarasivka and Bilohorivka.

It is known that during the battle, Ukrainian forces encountered six Chinese fighters, two of whom were taken prisoner.

According to Zelenskyy, the captives were found to have documents, passports, and even bank cards confirming their identity as Chinese citizens. The head of state also released a video featuring one of the captured individuals.

The prisoners are currently in the custody of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU), where investigative actions are ongoing. Intelligence and other units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are verifying information about the possible involvement of a larger number of Chinese citizens within the ranks of the Russian occupation forces.

"We have information indicating that there are significantly more Chinese nationals in the enemy’s units than just these two. We are currently working to confirm all the facts. Intelligence, the SSU, and relevant units of the Armed Forces are on it," emphasized the President of Ukraine.

Zelenskyy expects a response from international partners

The President of Ukraine described the capture of Chinese soldiers as an important signal indicating the involvement of yet another country in supporting Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

Zelenskyy compared this to Russia’s use of support from countries such as Iran and North Korea. However, he emphasized that Chinese troops were operating directly on Ukrainian territory, whereas North Korean soldiers had fought alongside Russian forces on Russian soil.

"This is another country after Iran and North Korean troops. But there is a difference. The North Koreans fought against us in the Kursk direction. The Chinese are fighting on the territory of Ukraine. And I believe this is a crucial moment we must urgently discuss with our partners," said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

He stressed that he expects the United States "to talk more with Ukrainians" following this development. According to the president, the involvement of Chinese nationals in the war against Ukraine demonstrates that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin is not seeking peace but is instead exploring ways to continue the war.

"Russia's involvement of China in this war in Europe, directly or indirectly, is a clear signal that Putin is going to do anything but end the war. He is looking for ways to continue fighting. This definitely requires a reaction. A reaction from the United States, Europe and everyone in the world who wants peace," Zelenskyy stated.

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry summons China’s chargé d’affaires

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine to urgently contact Beijing to clarify China’s official position regarding the incident.

Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announced that the Ministry has already summoned the chargé d’affaires of China in Ukraine to lodge an official protest and demand explanations.

“We strongly condemn Russia’s involvement of Chinese citizens in its war of aggression against Ukraine, as well as their participation in combat operations against Ukrainian forces,” the minister wrote on Twitter (X).

Sybiha noted that the involvement of Chinese nationals in the war on Russia’s side undermines trust in Beijing as a responsible permanent member of the UN Security Council and calls into question China’s declared position of neutrality and peace.

Screenshot: statement by Andrii Sybiha on Twitter (X) (x.com/andrii_sybiha)

Chinese soldiers in the war vs. Beijing's "peaceful" plan

The involvement of Chinese military personnel in the war against Ukraine contradicts Beijing's public peacekeeping stance.

As explained by Andrii Kovalenko, head of the Anti-Corruption Center at the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), Chinese soldiers are present on Ukraine's sovereign territory as part of Russian occupation forces, despite China publicly supporting Ukraine's territorial integrity.

"Chinese mercenaries in the Russian army fighting in Europe contradict Beijing's public peacekeeping statements. And there will have to be a response to this. India reacted to the involvement of its citizens in the war," Kovalenko noted.

It is important to recall that since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Chinese government has declared its neutral position and even presented its own peace plan for ending the war, which it calls a "conflict," along with Brazil.

This plan proposes a "freeze" on hostilities, negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, and the easing of sanctions.

Beijing also officially states that it does not provide military assistance to the parties in conflict, although there have been reports of supplies of dual-use goods to Russia, which it uses in weapons production.

Additionally, Chinese leader Xi Jinping maintains friendly relations with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin and advocates for strengthening economic cooperation with Russia.

Sources: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s statement at a press conference, a post on Zelenskyy’s Telegram channel, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha's statement on Twitter (X), and a message from Andrii Kovalenko, head of the Anti-Corruption Center at the NSDC, on Telegram.