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By John Feng, Shane Croucher, and Micah McCartney
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China said Wednesday it is working with the Ukrainians to verify reports that two Chinese citizens were captured fighting for the Russian army inside Ukraine's Donetsk region.
Newsweek reached out to the Chinese, Ukrainian, and Russian foreign ministries with emailed requests for comment.
Why It Matters
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday that his forces had captured the two Chinese men and that Kyiv was seeking a formal response from Beijing. It was a rare intervention from the Ukrainian leader, who has sought to keep China on side since the start of the war in the hope that President Xi Jinping can help restrain Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
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What To Know
"China is verifying the information with the Ukrainian side," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters Wednesday at a regular press briefing in Beijing.
"Let me stress that the Chinese government always asks Chinese nationals to stay away from areas of armed conflict, avoid any form of involvement in armed conflict, and in particular avoid participation in any party's military operations," he added.
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The U.S. State Department said it was disturbed by the reported capture of Chinese soldiers, calling China a "major enabler" of Russia's war against Ukraine.
Russian military channels have previously reported the deaths of Chinese "mercenaries" among Moscow's ranks in Ukraine. One Chinese national involved in the conflict also reported the deaths of North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia.
Russia's invasion is now in its fourth year. The United States is leading separate peace talks with Kyiv and Moscow as Ukrainian and Russian forces seek to strengthen their respective hands through territorial gains.
What People Are Saying
Volodymyr Zelenksy, president of Ukraine, wrote on X (formerly Twitter): "We have information suggesting that there are many more Chinese citizens in the occupier's units than just these two. 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.
I have instructed the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine to immediately contact Beijing and clarify how China intends to respond to this."
U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told reporters on Tuesday: "It's disturbing. It's disturbing with North Korea participating. It's disturbing with the Chinese soldiers having been captured...China is a major enabler of Russia in the war in Ukraine. China provides nearly 80 percent of the dual-use items Russia needs to sustain the war."
What's Next
China, which has still not labeled Moscow the aggressor in the war, has continued to call for renewed dialogue. As U.S.-led ceasefire efforts falter, Russian forces have made advances in several key areas.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Moscow may be preparing a fresh offensive.
Update 4/9/25, 5:40 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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