Chinese citizens captured fighting for Russia: Ukraine

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says Ukrainian forces have captured two Chinese men fighting for Russia in eastern Ukraine.

China is a close diplomatic ally of Russia but is not publicly known to have directly aided in the Kremlin's full-scale invasion, which US President Donald Trump is seeking to swiftly end.

Writing on X, where he posted a video of one of the alleged men, Zelenskiy said Ukraine has "information suggesting that there are many more Chinese citizens" fighting.

He did not say whether Ukraine believed the men were acting on Chinese government orders.

"Russia's involvement of China, along with other countries, whether directly or indirectly, in this war in Europe is a clear signal that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin intends to do anything but end the war," he wrote.

Our military has captured two Chinese citizens who were fighting as part of the Russian army. This happened on Ukrainian territory—in the Donetsk region. Identification documents, bank cards, and personal data were found in their possession.We have information suggesting that… pic.twitter.com/ekBr6hCkQL— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 8, 2025

The Chinese foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on what would be the first publicly announced case of Chinese citizens captured fighting for Russia in Ukraine.

Reuters could not independently verify the claims.

Writing on social media, Andriy Kovalenko, a member of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council, called the captured fighters "mercenaries" but offered no other details.

Russia has used Iranian drones as well as North Korean missiles and artillery shells since its February 2022 invasion.

Ukraine also says North Korean troops have been deployed to fight Ukrainian forces in parts of Russia's western Kursk region, where Ukraine staged a lightning incursion last northern hemisphere summer.

"But there is a difference: the North Koreans were fighting on the Kursk front against us," Zelenskiy said in a joint briefing in Kyiv on Tuesday with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever.

"The Chinese are fighting on the territory of Ukraine."

Russia has not yet publicly commented on Zelenskiy's claim about Chinese fighters, nor has it explicitly confirmed using North Korean troops in its Kursk region.

Zelenskiy, who said the men were carrying documents confirming their identities, told reporters he hoped their capture would prompt the United Stats to take a tougher stance on Russia during a peace process to end the fighting.

US and Russian officials have in recent weeks engaged in bilateral talks, drawing criticism from Ukraine which is suspicious of the Trump administration's conciliatory stance toward the Kremlin.

"I think the US needs to pay more attention to what's happening today," Zelenskiy said.

He added that Ukrainian forces had engaged six Chinese fighters in total.

"We really hope that after this situation, Americans will talk more with Ukrainians and then with Russians."

In a separate statement, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said officials had summoned China's chargé d'affaires in Ukraine "to condemn this fact and demand an explanation".

China, which declared a "no limits" strategic partnership with Russia days before the invasion of Ukraine, has said it is ready to play a role in settling the war.