US admiral confirms capture of two Chinese nationals by Ukraine

10/4/2025 6:12

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy

said on Wednesday that Ukrainian intelligence had information

about 155 Chinese citizens fighting for the Russian military

against Ukraine.



The Ukrainian leader was speaking to reporters after the

capture of two Chinese nationals in eastern Ukraine, where

Russian troops have been advancing. He said he hoped the United

States would speak to Moscow about the battlefield deployment of

Chinese citizens.



Zelenskiy said Russia was recruiting Chinese citizens via

social media, that Chinese officials were aware of it and that

Ukraine's security service had compiled lists of names, birth

dates and the Russian military units where they were assigned.



Ukraine was trying to assess whether the recruits were

receiving instructions from Beijing, he said.



"The Chinese issue is serious," Zelenskiy said. "There are

155 people with names and passport details - 155 Chinese

citizens who are fighting against Ukrainians on the territory of

Ukraine. We are collecting information and believe that there

are more, many more."



Zelenskiy said Ukraine was prepared to exchange the captured

Chinese nationals for Ukrainian servicemen now in detention.



Reuters could not independently verify the claims.



China, which has declared a "no-limits" partnership with

Russia, has tried to position itself as an actor in attempts to

negotiate an end to the war. It has refrained from criticising

Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.



On Wednesday, China's Foreign Ministry dismissed as

"groundless" Zelenskiy's remarks that more Chinese nationals

were on the front line alongside Russians.



"Ukraine should correctly view China's efforts and

constructive role in seeking a political solution to the

Ukrainian crisis," ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a regular

news conference.



China was verifying the situation with Ukraine, he said,

adding that its government had always required its citizens to

avoid areas of armed conflict and "especially to avoid

participating in the military operations of any party."







NORTH KOREANS, CHINESE



Zelenskiy decried the deployment of Chinese nationals as

Russia's "second mistake" in the war, after what Ukraine and

Western countries have described as the dispatch of more than

11,000 North Korean troops to Russia's Kursk region.



"America is clearly seeing today the actions undertaken by

Russia," he said. "I do not understand why America is not

reacting forcefully towards Russia. There is nothing in terms of

diplomacy or statements."



Russia has made no public comment on Zelenskiy's statements

about Chinese fighters and has never explicitly confirmed

deploying North Korean troops in its Kursk region.



The head of U.S. forces in the Indo-Pacific, Admiral Samuel

Paparo, confirmed at a congressional hearing on Wednesday that

Ukraine had captured two Chinese nationals and said any Russian

success offensively in Europe would embolden China in its own

offensive ambitions.



In other comments, Zelenskiy said he believed U.S. President

Donald Trump was irritated by the Kremlin's failure to make good

on pledges, referring to Russia's rejection of a U.S. proposal

last month to declare a full-fledged ceasefire and continuing

strikes on Ukrainian targets.



"I believe Trump is annoyed that (Russian President

Vladimir) Putin is not following through on what he promised,"

Zelenskiy said. "We don't know everything they talked about, but

we know a lot. And we really expect there to be a reaction."



Zelenskiy also said a meeting scheduled for this week in the

United States to discuss a deal on exploiting minerals and rare

earths would focus on technical aspects and foundations of a

future agreement.



Zelenskiy said the deal should be profitable for both sides

and could be structured in a way to help modernize Ukraine.