A Chinese citizen captured during fighting in the Donetsk Oblast disclosed that he paid 300,000 rubles ($3,482) to join the Russian military through a Chinese intermediary, according to Ukrainska Pravda.
This comes after, on 8 April, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed that two Chinese citizens fighting with Russian forces were captured by Ukrainian forces. They’re reported to be in the custody of Ukraine’s Security Service. Ukrainian authorities secured their documentation, bank cards, and personal information.
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy claimed that intelligence suggests a larger presence of Chinese citizens within Russian military units. The president instructed Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha to contact Beijing immediately to determine China’s response.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian announced on 9 April that Beijing is verifying this information with Ukraine.
The captured soldier explained that his primary motivation was to obtain Russian citizenship through military service. He underwent basic training in occupied Luhansk alongside other Chinese citizens, with instruction conducted without formal translation.
“The training was carried out using gestures and mobile translation applications due to the language barrier,” the Communications department of Operational-tactical group Luhansk reported based on the prisoner’s testimony.
This language gap apparently affected his battlefield awareness.
“During combat operations, he wasn’t fully oriented to the situation,” the Communications department reported.
His group ultimately chose to surrender after sustaining casualties and being unable to continue fighting.
The captive also revealed that some members of his training group had legal troubles in China. While his family was aware of his intentions to travel to Russia, he officially departed China as a tourist.
Ukrainian authorities confirmed the individual’s identity and citizenship.
The Communications Department also emphasized that Ukraine is adhering to Geneva Convention protocols regarding prisoner treatment.
Despite claiming neutrality since Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion, China has supplied semiconductors and machinery usable in military equipment. A recent investigation found China also provided gallium, germanium, and antimony—essential for producing drones, missiles, and night-vision technology used in Ukraine.
This follows Russia’s earlier deployment of North Korean troops to support operations in partially Ukrainian-occupied Kursk Oblast.