Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky just dropped an even bigger bombshell. As of early May, Ukrainian intelligence has identified 155 Chinese citizens currently fighting alongside Russian forces in the Ukraine. These people are said to have entered the war after answering ads, even ones posted on social media, such as Facebook or Instagram. The growing need for the recruitment and training of these nationals signals a troubling development as the war in Ukraine enters a new phase.
Zelensky claims that Chinese nationals would face medical check-ups of up to three and four days. After this, the recruits undergo military training on the territory of the temporarily occupied Luhansk Oblast. The training period takes one to two months. Once finished, the troops are immediately sent to battle on Ukrainian lands.
Zelensky described how these people journey to Moscow, where people are subjected to army medical exams lasting three to four days. After that, they train for one to two months in training centers before going into combat on Ukrainian territory. He added that Ukrainian officials think there are possibly as many as five times as many Chinese enforcers as those identified so far.
The Kremlin spokesperson refused to comment on accusations of the use of Chinese nationals in Ukraine. Zelensky’s comments come as Congress continues to scrutinize U.S. and other foreign involvement in the conflict. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, citizens from various countries, including Britain and the United States, have been known to volunteer alongside Ukrainian forces.
Just last week, two Chinese nationals were arrested at sites of a Ukrainian military operation. At least one detainee was able to join the Russian military through an intermediary based in China. They paid on average RUB 300,000 — around $3,500 — for this privilege.
“According to the prisoner, he joined the Russian military through an intermediary in China, paying RUB 300,000 ($3,500) for the opportunity to enlist in the Russian Armed Forces,” – Luhansk Operational Tactical Group
The organization noted of those in the recruiting cohort that some faced serious legal issues in China. This latter circumstance drove their choice to join. This context makes us question how their recruitment and training came to be in those circumstances.
Ukrainian authorities are willing to trade the two detained Chinese nationals for Ukrainians held in captivity as POWs. Notably, ominous question marks still hover over the context surrounding the detainees’ confessions. New evidence indicates that one of them may have testified against her under duress.
To date, the Chinese government has repeatedly and emphatically denied its intention to intervene in the Ukraine war. And indeed, at a press conference this week in Shanghai, Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, made just that point! The Chinese government repeatedly directs its nationals to avoid armed conflict zones and not engage in military action on behalf of the government.
