Ukrainian forces have captured two Chinese nationals fighting for Russia in eastern Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday, potentially threatening Beijing’s claimed neutrality in the ongoing conflict.
Ukrainian troops clashed with six Chinese soldiers near villages in the Donetsk region, taking two prisoners, according to Zelensky. Ukrainian officials said identification documents, bank cards, and personal data were found with the captives.
“We have information suggesting that there are many more Chinese citizens in the occupier’s units,” Zelensky said during a joint press conference with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever in Kyiv.
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Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiba summoned China’s chargé d’affaires to “condemn this fact and demand an explanation,” later posting on social media platform X that Beijing’s actions undermine its credibility as a UN Security Council member.
US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce called the reports “disturbing” but did not confirm whether Washington had verified the claim. She noted China is already a “major enabler” of Russia’s war effort through its supply of dual-use items including navigation equipment and semiconductor chips.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
While Beijing and Moscow are close diplomatic allies with a “no-limits strategic partnership” declared days before Russia’s 2022 invasion, China has positioned itself as a neutral party in the conflict.
Zelensky highlighted differences in foreign involvement, saying: “North Koreans fought against us on the Kursk front, the Chinese are fighting on the territory of Ukraine.”
The Ukrainian president called for international response, saying: “We definitely need a reaction to this. A reaction from the United States, Europe, and everyone in the world who wants peace.”
Russia currently controls approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory, with Moscow employing what observers call “meat grinder” tactics to overwhelm Ukrainian defenses with superior numbers.
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