At least 155 Chinese nationals are fighting for Russia against Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky has claimed.

On Wednesday night, the Ukrainian president said he had the names and passport details of the Chinese combatants and insisted Beijing was “aware” of their participation in the war.

“The Chinese issue is serious,” he said, doubling down on the claim he made a day before that “many more” Chinese citizens were in the Russian ranks after Ukraine captured two on the frontline.

Beijing had earlier rejected such claims, calling them “absolutely groundless”. It added that it was still verifying the reports of two of its nationals being captured in combat with Ukraine.

“The Chinese government has always asked its citizens to stay away from areas of armed conflict [and] avoid involvement in armed conflicts in any form,” Lin Jian, a spokesman from the foreign ministry, said.

“The Chinese side’s position on the issue of the Ukraine crisis is clear and unequivocal, and has won widespread approval from the international community,” he added.

One of the captured soldiers reportedly revealed he paid 300,000 roubles (roughly £2,700) to a middleman in China to join the Russian military in exchange for the promise of citizenship.