Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced that two Chinese nationals were taken prisoner while fighting for Russia in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.
This is the first time Ukraine has officially accused China of directly supplying soldiers to support Moscow’s war effort.
According to Zelensky, Ukrainian troops encountered a group of six Chinese fighters and captured two of them during combat operations. The men were reportedly found with Chinese identification documents and personal items such as bank cards. Ukrainian intelligence believes the number of Chinese nationals fighting for Russia could be far higher.
The Ukrainian president shared a video on social media showing one of the captured men in handcuffs, speaking Mandarin and recounting his battlefield experience. The footage was presented as evidence of foreign involvement in Russia’s invasion beyond what has been publicly acknowledged.
Zelensky said the development raises concerns about broader support for Russia from other countries, and urged global leaders—especially those in the United States and Europe—to respond. He framed the situation as a sign that Russian President Vladimir Putin has no intention of ending the conflict and is expanding his alliances to keep the war going.
Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, said the Chinese diplomatic representative in Kyiv has been summoned to explain the situation. He said the involvement of Chinese citizens in the war casts doubt on China’s stated position as a neutral party seeking peace and undermines its credibility as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.
No official response has yet come from either Beijing or Moscow. However, the claim could add pressure to China’s international image, especially as Beijing has repeatedly insisted it is not taking sides in the conflict.
Recent reports, including investigations by French media, have pointed to a growing number of Chinese individuals boasting on Chinese social media platforms about joining the Russian army. While those accounts have not been independently verified, the latest news from Ukraine may lend weight to those earlier suspicions.
Ukraine has also previously accused North Korea of sending troops to support Russia. Officials in Kyiv and the West have warned that Russia is increasingly relying on manpower from allied nations as it pushes ahead with its war strategy, which often includes sending waves of troops into dangerous frontline positions in a bid to wear down Ukrainian defenses.
As the war enters its third year, Russia maintains control over roughly a fifth of Ukrainian territory. Ukraine’s security services are continuing to question the captured fighters as part of an ongoing investigation into foreign involvement in the conflict.