The armed forces of Ukraine They captured two Chinese citizens who fought alongside the army of Russia In Donetsk, in the Donbás region. It is the first time that the presence of Chinese in the war began in February 2022. The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky He went further and spoke of at least 150 mercenaries of the Asian giant fighting in his country. In Moscow and Beijing the authorities categorically rejected that there is a Chinese involvement in the conflict. This is what is known.
According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Ukrainian forces captured The two Chinese combatants They fought for Russia Near Bilohorivka and Tarasivka, in Donetsk.
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On Tuesday, the president Zelensky He explained that his forces came into contact with a group of Six Chinese fighters For several recent attacks and confirmed that two of them were arrested with documents that prove their origin.
One of the two Chinese soldiers captured by the forces of Ukraine in the Donetsk region. They were fighting for Russia. (AFP).
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Zelensky gave more details on Wednesday and spoke of at least 150 Chinese mercenaries fought next to the Russians. He added that these were recruited through social networks like Tiktok and once arrived in Moscow, They went through training one or two months Before being sent to the front.
The Ukrainian president He said Beijing’s authorities knew about the Russian campaign to recruit Chinese mercenaries. However, he did not say that the Chinese government has authorized the participation of the mercenaries In Ukraine.
The president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, attends a joint press conference with Belgian Prime Minister, Bart of Wever, in kyiv on April 8, 2025. (EFE/EPA/Sergey Dolzhenko).
Zelensky He also said he has the surnames and passport data of 155 Chinese citizens fighting in the Russian army. “We believe there are many more”he added.
In China, The government described Zelensky’s words as “irresponsible.”
The spokesman of the Foreign Ministry of China, Lin Jianemphasized that his country maintains an objective and fair position regarding the conflict in Ukraine and that has not provided military support to any of the parties involved.
Lin too He reiterated that the Chinese government advise against its citizens to participate in armed conflicts and has taken measures to prevent them from getting involved in military activities abroad.
Russia also rejected China’s involvement in war.
“It’s not true. China maintains a balanced posture”Said Dmitri Peskov, presidential spokesman, at his daily press conference.
“China is our strategic partner, friend and comrade. And China has always maintained a very, very soured posture, ”said Peskov.
In USAthere are opposite opinions regarding the arrest of the Chinese in Ukraine. On the one hand, the state department spokeswoman, Tammy Brucesaid Tuesday that reports on Chinese citizens in war were “Disturbers”
“China is an important facilitator of Russia in the war in Ukraine”Bruce said. He added that Beijing provides almost 80% of the double -use items that Russia needs to hold the guerrto.
On the other hand, Keith Kelloggspecial envoy from Trump for Ukraine and Russia, he said that “he is not convinced yet” that Chinese personnel identified as a fighter of Russia whether mercenaries or volunteers.
“There is an axiom in the army: the first report is always wrong ”Kellogg said during an appearance on Wednesday at Georgetown University. “And this is one of those cases in which you have to wait to see what happens, because they could be volunteers.”
Kellogg said Ukraine also has volunteers from other countries, including United Statesthat fight in their name.
Military aid to Ukraine. (AFP).
China’s classic pendular policy
One of the two Chinese men who, according to Ukraine, was captured fighting with Russia. (EFE/EPA/Ukraine Security Service).
Andrés Gómez de la Torrespecialist in defense and intelligence issues, he told Commerce that there is no doubt that Russia is playing what is currently called Thirdization of hybrid warsand that in that aspect it has extensive experience through Wagner Groupwho has recruited mercenaries for war in Ukraine and for missions in several countries of Africa to where Moscow is expanding its influence.
“We are facing a scenario of these calls Fortune soldiersvolunteers, outsourced, effectively recruited through social networks, ”said Gómez de la Torre to Commerce.
“As reported by Ukraineapparently it is a smaller number of Chinese, about 150. It must be stressed that North Korea sent more than 10,000 soldiers And we must also remember that on April 1 the President Vladimir Putin He met with China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi. Then, relationships are being quite narrow in this imminent tripolar order to the United States, Russia and China, ”said the analyst.
The president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, meets with China Foreign Minister Wang Yi, at Kremlin on April 1, 2025. (Grigory Sysoyev / AFP).
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Gómez de la Torre remarked that China attributes a neutral role in the Ukraine War.
“Diplomatically, China has appeared as a facilitator in the conflict. However, Ukraine He argues that this presence of mercenaries or volunteers undermines that role of non -interference. You have to remember that China has given Russia implicit support to overcome sanctionsand too has brought very silent support in military technological components. We are talking about A classic pendular policy that China has practiced from Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping. Formally ambiguous enough to open a margin of maneuver, ”said Gómez de la Torre.
He stressed that the conflict in Ukraine is becoming A two block war, Formed by Russia, Iran, China and North Korea on the one hand, and on the other with Ukraine and European countries. He stressed that USA in the era of Donald Trump It has been moving away from this second block, so Europe He has chosen to delineate his own security strategy away from the once protection that Washington guaranteed.
Russia’s allies
Russian President Vladimir Putin, and North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, provide during a reception at the Mongnangwan reception house, in Pionyang, on June 19, 2024. (Photo of Vladimir Smirnov / Pool / AFP)
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USA He has denounced thatIran provides significant military support to Russia in the context of war in Ukraine. He highlighted the Shahed-136 attack drones supply.
In November 2022, the then Iranian Foreign Minister Hosein Amirabdolahian admitted that Iran delivered a limited amount of drones to Russia before the start of the conflict in Ukraine.
Iran He has also collaborated with Russia In the construction of a factory aimed at producing attack drones in Russian territory, the United States revealed in June 2023.
In September of last year, the United States said They will transfer short -range ballistic missiles to Russia for use in the Ukrainian conflict.
As to North Korea, In addition to sending more than 10,000 soldiers, it has supplied Russia various types of weapons for use in war in Ukraine. According to the United States, among the main teams sent are:
Short -range ballistic missiles of the series Hwasong-11 and KN-23, More than one million artillery projectiles and self -propelled artillery systems Koksan M-1989.
