‘Totally unfounded’: Beijing hits back at Zelenskyy’s claim of Chinese troops fighting for Russia

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian on Wednesday rejected Ukraine’s allegations of Chinese nationals fighting alongside Russian forces, calling the claims “totally unfounded.”
“The Chinese government always asks Chinese citizens to stay away from conflict zones, avoid getting involved in any form of armed conflict, and especially refrain from participating in any party’s military operations,” Lin said, quoted by news agency AP.
The Beijing official also reaffirmed China’s stance that it has played a “constructive role in politically resolving the Ukraine crisis.”
These comments came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday announced that Kyiv had detained two Chinese citizens in the eastern Donetsk region.
He said the two Chinese men were captured by Ukrainian forces in active combat zones and were found with identification documents, bank cards, and personal data confirming who they were.
They also discovered information suggesting that there are ‘significantly more’ fighting alongside Putin’s forces, Zelenskyy said in a video message posted on social media.
“We are currently verifying all the facts—intelligence, the security service of Ukraine, and the relevant units of the armed forces are working on it.”
The Ukrainian chief said that the use of foreign nationals by Moscow, including from China and North Korea, is a sign that Russian President Vladimir Putin is prepared to prolong the war by any means.
Zelenskyy also took aim at Putin, saying, “He is ready to involve anyone in this war — any country, any foreigner — but not to end it.”
While China has not provided weapons or military personnel to either side, it has maintained strong ties with Moscow since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. China has offered diplomatic support and economic trade — particularly in energy and consumer goods — but insists it has remained neutral.
The development comes amid wider concerns over foreign involvement in the war. The United States has previously accused North Korea of sending thousands of troops to support Russian forces, particularly in Ukraine’s Kursk region. Both Russia and Ukraine allow foreigners to enlist in their armed forces.
In Washington, US state department spokesperson Tammy Bruce described the reports of captured Chinese fighters as “disturbing” and said the US is monitoring the situation.
“China is a major enabler of Russia in the war in Ukraine,” Bruce told reporters. “China provides nearly 80 per cent of the dual-use items Russia needs to sustain the war.”
Nato has also repeatedly labelled China as a “decisive enabler” of Moscow’s aggression, a claim that China has rejected.
Meanwhile, fighting on the ground has showcased no signs of slowing down. Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched 55 Shahed and decoy drones overnight, targeting several regions. In Donetsk’s city of Kramatorsk, a massive drone attack left an 11-year-old girl, her mother and grandmother injured, according to regional governor Vadym Filashkin.
The Russian defence ministry claimed its air defences shot down 158 Ukrainian drones across 11 Russian regions overnight. No casualties or damage were reported, but several airports suspended operations, and drones reportedly reached Russia’s Orenburg region, nearly 1,200 kilometres from the Ukrainian border.
As spring approaches, both sides are believed to be preparing for renewed offensives while the war of attrition continues along a front line that stretches over 1,000 kilometres.