Countering Beijing’s Denial, Kyiv Claims That More Than 150 Chinese Nationals Are Fighting for Russia in Ukraine

Rather than sue for peace, Russia has banked on Chinese assistance to expand its war in Ukraine. During a press conference on April 9, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that more than 150 Chinese nationals were fighting in Ukraine on behalf of Russia — one day after announcing that Ukrainian forces had captured two Chinese fighters in the Luhansk region.  

The allegations, while unconfirmed by Western intelligence, showcase Russia’s willingness to prosecute the war by relying on its relationship with China, a key member of the so-called Axis of Aggressors seeking to undermine U.S. national security.

Zelenskyy Alleges ‘Many’ Chinese Nationals Are Fighting for Russia 

During the press conference, Zelenskyy suggested that Beijing was aware of Russian efforts to recruit Chinese nationals for military service on social media, though he did not provide evidence that the Chinese government had officially approved the transfers. In a subsequent post on X that included a video from an interrogation of two Chinese prisoners of war, Zelenskyy alleged that the number of Chinese nationals fighting in Ukraine was likely higher than the 155 individuals identified by Ukrainian intelligence. Featuring blurred shots of the prisoners’ Chinese passports, the video showed the two men describing their experience on the front line in Mandarin, including their capture by Ukrainian forces.  

Zelenskyy’s remarks were in response to a denial issued by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs earlier that day. Dismissing Kyiv’s claims as “absolutely groundless,” ministerial spokesperson Lin Jian said that Beijing was working to verify the information while reiterating that the ministry had previously instructed Chinese citizens to “avoid getting involved in the conflict in any form, especially avoiding participation in any party’s military operations.” 

China Has Been a Key Enabler of Russia’s War Machine

The capture of several Chinese nationals highlights Beijing’s ongoing contribution to Russia’s war in Ukraine. Chinese purchases of Russian energy products have offered a financial lifeline for Moscow against Western sanctions, while Russia’s defense industrial base has become highly reliant on a constant flow of machine tools and microelectronics from China. 

Along with supplying substantial economic and technical support to Moscow, Chinese firms have also offered more direct forms of military assistance. In September 2024, Reuters reported that IEMZ Kupol, a subsidiary of Russian state-owned manufacturer Almaz-Antey, had developed several drones in collaboration with Chinese specialists in Xinjiang, leading the U.S. Treasury Department to sanction two Chinese firms involved in the transaction. While Moscow still primarily relies on its own citizenry to fill the ranks of its armed forces, Russian recruitment advertisements have regularly appeared on state-monitored Chinese social media channels such as Douyin, suggesting that Beijing is well aware of Moscow’s efforts to lure Chinese citizens into fighting in Ukraine.  

Washington and the EU Should Tighten Sanctions on Moscow and Beijing 

While it is unlikely that China directly authorized its citizens to fight on behalf of the Russian military, their appearance on the battlefield highlights the growing relationship between Moscow and Beijing, two of the senior members of the Axis of Aggressors.  

In response, the United States, in concert with the European Union, should place pressure on Moscow to abandon its war in Ukraine by lowering the G7-imposed price cap on Russian oil and petroleum products, imposing sanctions on Russia’s “shadow fleet” of illicit oil tankers and introducing secondary sanctions on Russian oil exports, a move that will also limit China’s access to low-cost crude. This effort should be coupled with a commitment to maintain American weapons deliveries to Kyiv as punishment for Russian intransigence during ongoing peace negotiations and as a deterrence mechanism against Chinese military adventurism.  

Jack Burnham is a research analyst in the China Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). For more analysis from Jack and FDD, please subscribe HERE. Follow Jack on X @JackBurnham802. Follow FDD on X @FDD. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.