Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky today claimed that two Chinese nationals fighting with Russian forces in eastern Ukraine had been captured by Ukrainian troops in the Donetsk region. Ukrainian forces reportedly seized the individuals’ personal documents, bank cards, and other personal data.
Zelensky stated that Ukraine believes there are likely more Chinese citizens fighting alongside Russian forces and indicated that efforts are underway to investigate the full extent of China’s involvement. He has instructed Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs to reach out to Beijing for clarification on the matter.
“We have information that there are many more Chinese citizens in the occupier’s units than just two. We are now finding out all the facts,” Zelensky said in a post on Telegram. “I have instructed the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine to immediately contact Beijing and find out how China is going to react to this.”
“Russia’s involvement of China in this war in Europe, directly or indirectly, is a clear signal that Putin is going to do anything except end the war. He is looking for ways to continue fighting,” Zelensky said.
It is unclear if the Chinese nationals that Ukraine says it captured are Chinese soldiers or volunteers. Western officials on Tuesday told CNN that they did not see “evidence of state sponsorship” in their cases.
The Ukrainian president also called on its allies in the United States and Europe to protest. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Tuesday that Kyiv has summoned Beijing’s chargé d’affaires in Ukraine “to condemn this fact and demand an explanation.”
“We hope that after this situation, the Americans will talk more with Ukrainians and then with Russians. And we hope that the Chinese side will also respond,” Zelensky said Tuesday afternoon during a news conference
