Cnn
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday that Ukrainian information had identified 155 Chinese citizens fighting alongside Russian forces, one day after Ukraine said two Chinese nationals had been captured in the country.
Chinese nationals had been recruited through advertisements, especially on social networks, Zelensky said on a briefing on Wednesday.
China has always denied any involvement in war.
A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday earlier than any statement that Chinese citizens are fighting in Ukraine were “baseless”.
“It is important to emphasize that the Chinese government has always asked its citizens to stay far from the armed conflict zones and to avoid getting involved in the conflict in any form whatsoever, avoiding in particular participation in military operations of any party,” said Lin Jian spokesman at a press conference.
A document of Ukrainian security agencies seen by CNN claims to show a list of more than 150 Chinese citizens who served in the Russian armed forces, most of which would be in the lowest military posts.
Most of the document contracts are dated “2024” and ride different military units.
The list was not checked by CNN.
“We collect information and we think there are more, many others,” said Zelensky on Wednesday, before claiming that Beijing was aware of the Russians placing recruitment videos on Chinese social networks.
“These people arrive at the Russian Federation, in Moscow. Medical examinations last three to four days. The training centers are one to two months. They are fighting on the territory of Ukraine,” he added.
When asked if he thought that the presence of Chinese nationals in Ukraine was the result of an official Beijing policy, Zelensky said: “I have no answer to this question yet. The Ukraine security service will work there … We do not say that someone has given an order, we have no such information.”
Since Russia launched its large-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, citizens of nations such as Great Britain and the United States are known to volunteer alongside Ukrainian forces, against the councils of their own governments.
Some were killed in combat on the front line. CNN previously pointed out that Ukrainian embassies have helped recruit foreign fighters.
The allegations of Chinese nationals fighting alongside the Russian forces follow the assertions of Ukraine that two Chinese nationals fighting in the Russian army were taken prisoner in eastern Ukraine.
Zelensky said on Tuesday that the Ukrainian forces that fight in the Donetsk region had obtained the documents from Chinese nationals, bank cards and personal data.
On Wednesday, the Ukrainian president added that Ukraine was “ready to exchange” the two individuals for Ukrainian prisoners of war.
On Wednesday, Kremlin spokesperson refused to comment on the statement that Chinese nationals were captured in Ukraine. Beijing said on Wednesday that he “currently” checked “the situation with Ukraine.
One of the Chinese nationals captured fighting in eastern Ukraine had paid to join the Russian army through an intermediary in China, with the aim of becoming a Russian citizen, according to the Ukrainian army.
The Chinese detainee, who, according to the Ukrainian authorities, said on Tuesday as a prisoner of war alongside a second Chinese national, was probably expressed under constraint.
“According to the prisoner, he joined the Russian army through an intermediary in China, paying 300,000 ($ 3,500) for the opportunity to enlist in the Russian armed forces,” said the communications department of Luhansk’s operational tactical group in a statement to the Ukrainian media.
“He said his main motivation was the desire to become a soldier and obtain citizenship from the Russian Federation. He also mentioned that some members of the group had legal problems in China,” said Ukrainska Pravda, a statement.
“He reported that he had received training on the temporarily occupied territory of the Oblast of Luhansk as part of a group of Chinese nationals. The training covered basic military skills and was carried out without interpreter, based on gestures and a mobile translator for communication. ”
The Ukrainian military tactical group said that the man was taken prisoner when a Russian assault group had chosen to go under the fire of Ukrainian soldiers.
“The individual currently cooperates with Ukrainian investigation agencies, and his identity and citizenship were confirmed. He noted that his family was aware of his intention to go to Russia, although he officially traveled as a tourist,” said the declaration to Ukrainska Pravda.
