As Beijing treads a delicate diplomatic line between its “no-limits” partnership with Moscow and its public posture of neutrality, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has alleged the presence of more than 150 Chinese mercenaries fighting for Russian forces on Ukrainian soil.
To support his claim, Kyiv released videos of two captured Chinese nationals, along with documents verifying their citizenship. Ukrainian intelligence has proven highly adept at monitoring the online recruitment of foreign mercenaries, turning the very tools of Russia’s war machine against it. In one previous audacious operation, Ukrainian operatives created a digital honeypot, posing as recruiters offering contracts to fight in the Donbas. Russian mercenaries, lured by promises of high pay and adventure, unwittingly walked straight into a legal ambush.
China’s Foreign Ministry swiftly denied Kyiv’s allegations, reiterating its official stance against the involvement of Chinese citizens in foreign conflicts. Spokesman Lin Jian reaffirmed Beijing’s commitment to peace, emphasising that Chinese citizens were “strongly discouraged” from entering war zones or taking part in hostilities abroad. Still, accusations linger. Washington and the West continue to claim that Beijing has thrown Moscow’s economy a lifeline, despite the absence of formal military ties between the two nations.
02:47
Ukraine captured 2 Chinese nationals fighting for Russia, Zelensky says
Ukraine captured 2 Chinese nationals fighting for Russia, Zelensky says
Russia has become increasingly reliant on foreign fighters to feed into the Ukraine war meat grinder. What was once the domain of quasi-private military companies, such as Wagner, has transformed into a global recruitment drive, pulling in fighters from Central Asia, South Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and even East Asia.
From Indian and Cuban recruits to Venezuelan and Nepali contractors, foreign fighters are drawn into the conflict by false promises of citizenship, high salaries, or jobs that are later revealed to be military assignments. For many, the mercenary labour market has become as globalised as the war it feeds.
Russia’s need for manpower is acute. With brutal attrition depleting its forces, the state has turned to every available source: prisoners promised freedom, impoverished migrants enticed by salaries, and foreign nationals lured by false advertising. Following on from Wagner’s earlier strategy of recruiting convicts for high-casualty battles like Bakhmut, the Russian military now uses online adverts on platforms like Telegram, VKontakte – Russia’s version of Facebook – and even Mandarin-language promotions on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok.
A Russian 152mm self-propelled gun fires towards Ukrainian positions in this still from a video released last month. Photo: Russian Defence Ministry Press Service/EPA-EFE
“Trained by experienced coaches, equipped with the best professional gear,” promises one Chinese-language recruitment video. “Anyone under 60 can join, foreigners and Russians alike.”
