Ukraine has intelligence which shows China is supplying artillery and gunpowder

18/4/2025 5:54

Ukraine has intelligence

which shows China is supplying artillery and gunpowder to

Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on

Thursday.



"We believe that Chinese representatives are engaged in the

production of some weapons on the territory of Russia," he told

a press conference in Kyiv. Zelenskiy did not specify whether he

meant artillery systems or shells.



The allegation is likely to upend relations between Kyiv and

Beijing, already strained by Ukraine's making public its capture

of Chinese nationals fighting for Russia. China has so far tried

to maintain an outward perception of neutrality in the

three-year war prompted by Russia's full-scale invasion of

Ukraine.



Ukraine has previously called on China to use its

influence over Russia to push it towards peace.



"We already have facts about this work by China and

Russia to strengthen their defence capabilities," Zelenskiy

said, voicing his dismay as he said Chinese President Xi Jinping

had promised him Beijing would not sell or supply weapons to

Moscow.