Zelenskyy: China was officially aware of participation of its citizens in war against Ukraine
Photo: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
China was aware of the participation of its citizens in the war against Ukraine on the side of Russia, according to a statement made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting with journalists.
Zelenskyy was asked whether there is any information about the motivation of the Chinese citizens fighting against Ukraine, and whether they are mercenaries or if their actions represent a policy of Beijing.
"I don’t have an answer to that question yet. The Security Service of Ukraine will be working on it. Based on the data and details we have, we are simply documenting that China, at the level of official representations, was aware of the deployment," Zelenskyy responded.
According to him, it is currently not possible to say whether someone gave a direct order.
"But we are recording that they knew about it. We are recording that these are Chinese citizens, they are fighting against us, using weapons against Ukrainians on the territory of Ukraine. Whether their motivation is money or something else — politics, for example — I do not yet know. But I will," the president said.
Ukrainian Armed Forces captured Chinese nationals
Earlier, Zelenskyy shared a video showing Chinese prisoners of war. They were captured by soldiers of the 81st Separate Airmobile Slobozhansk Brigade of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces on one of the front lines.
Ukraine has already summoned China’s chargé d'affaires over the involvement of Chinese citizens in the war on Russia’s side. It is also known that China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is currently "verifying the situation" with Ukraine.
RBC-Ukraine, citing sources in the security services, also reported that the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has already interrogated the captured Chinese nationals and identified them by name.
Read more about this in the full report by RBC-Ukraine.
