Following the capture of two Chinese nationals fighting on the Russian side in Ukraine, Kiev has intensified its accusations against the government in Beijing.
These are not isolated cases, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed in his evening video message on Wednesday.
“We also have information about other citizens of the People’s Republic of China serving in the Russian army – with names, surnames, and details of the specific ways in which such soldiers became part of the Russian occupation contingent,” Zelensky added.
At a press conference shortly before, Zelensky had stated that there were at least 155 Chinese nationals in the Russian army.
Zelensky said that Kiev now has all the information about these 155 people, including their passport details. He added that Russia is recruiting these men via social networks, for example TikTok, and that Beijing is aware of this.
The two Chinese prisoners, who are now being questioned in Kiev, will only be released by Ukraine in exchange for its own prisoners of war, he said at the press conference.
In his video message, Zelensky pointed out that the Chinese soldiers fighting for Russia contradicted Beijing’s official position.
“Reinforcing the occupation contingent while speaking of peace are mutually exclusive things,” Zelensky asserted.
China, which is officially neutral, had previously rejected the accusation that its own citizens were involved in the Russian invasion of Ukraine and spoken of “unfounded” allegations.
