Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on April 8th, the capture of two Chinese nationals who were actively engaged in combat within the ranks of the Russian military against Ukraine.
This revelation has understandably, led to international concern and prompted Kyiv to urgently seek an explanation from Beijing regarding the involvement of its citizens in the ongoing conflict.
According to President Zelensky, Ukraine had intelligence revealing a significantly larger number of Chinese citizens serving within the Russian occupying forces. He also affirmed that captured individuals’ documents, including bank cards and personal data, were in Ukraine’s possession.
Zelensky further said that Ukrainian troops encountered six Chinese soldiers during clashes near the Donetsk Oblast villages of Tarasivka and Bilohorivka, leading to the capture of two. He has instructed Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha to immediately contact Beijing to ascertain the official Chinese response to this development.
Ukraine Summons China’s Envoy While Condemning Chinese Involvement
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha confirmed that Ukraine has summoned China’s charge d’affaires to formally express its condemnation and demand a comprehensive explanation concerning the presence of Chinese citizens fighting alongside the Russian invasion army in Ukraine.
Minister Sybiha emphasized via X that this involvement casts serious doubt on China’s publicly declared commitment to peace and significantly undermines Beijing’s credibility as a responsible permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.
President Zelensky also pointed out that the apparent recruitment of Chinese nationals, regardless of whether it is direct or indirect, starkly showed the Kremlin’s unwavering commitment to perpetuating its aggression against Ukraine.
He further stressed the urgent need for a robust global reaction to this development, specifically calling upon the United States, Europe, and all nations striving for peace to voice their condemnation. Zelensky further asserted that China (alongside Iran and North Korea) was among the countries providing support to Russia in its war against Ukraine.
To buttress his point, Zelensky drew a distinction in the deployment of foreign fighters supporting Russia, noting that while North Korean troops were previously involved in repelling a Ukrainian cross-border incursion in the Kursk direction, the captured Chinese nationals were actively engaged in combat on Ukrainian territory itself.
This difference, according to Zelensky, showed a potentially deeper level of involvement by Chinese citizens in Russia’s offensive operations within Ukraine.
China’s Strategic Partnership with Russia and Supply of Dual-Use Goods
Since the onset of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, China has emerged as a crucial strategic partner for Russia, significantly expanding bilateral trade and becoming Moscow’s primary supplier of dual-use goods that can be utilized in weapons production. This deepening economic and strategic alliance has been a subject of international scrutiny and concern.
Previous Deployment of North Korean Troops and Casualties in Eastern Ukraine
Zelensky’s statement follows earlier reports of Russia’s deployment of up to 12,000 North Korean troops to the Kursk Oblast in the fall of the previous year. These North Korean units were reportedly utilized to bolster Russian forces in repelling a Ukrainian cross-border incursion, during which Ukrainian troops initially regained approximately 1,300 square kilometers before being pushed back.
Zelensky claimed that North Korean units fighting for Russia have incurred around 4,000 casualties, with a significant two-thirds reportedly killed in action. In response to these losses, Pyongyang reportedly transferred an additional 3,000 soldiers to Russia in January and February to replenish their ranks.
