KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of systematically enlisting Chinese citizens to bolster its war effort in Ukraine, intensifying concerns over foreign involvement in the conflict. His remarks on April 10 followed Ukraine’s recent capture of two Chinese nationals allegedly fighting alongside Russian forces.
Zelensky claimed Ukrainian intelligence had uncovered evidence of at least 155 Chinese citizens recruited by Russia. “This is clearly not a matter of isolated incidents,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter, asserting that Moscow is actively conducting recruitment operations within China’s borders.
To support his claim, Zelensky shared video footage of one of the captured individuals under interrogation. Reuters noted it could not independently verify the footage.
“We must take every step to deny Russia such opportunities to prolong or widen the war,” Zelensky urged.
In response, Beijing pushed back firmly, cautioning Ukraine against making what it described as “irresponsible” accusations. The Chinese government has publicly maintained a neutral stance, despite its close “no-limits” partnership with Moscow, and has sought to portray itself as a potential mediator in the ongoing conflict.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed Zelensky’s allegations, describing China as a nation that holds a “balanced position” on the war.
Although China has avoided directly supporting Russia’s full-scale invasion launched in 2022, it has also refrained from condemning Moscow’s military actions, walking a delicate diplomatic tightrope amid rising global scrutiny.