At least 155 Chinese citizens are fighting in the Russian army, information about whom is known to Ukrainian special services, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said at a meeting with journalists.
Points of attention
- The Ukrainian President disclosed that there are over 150 Chinese citizens serving in the Russian army, recruited through social media channels like TikTok.
- Chinese mercenaries hold positions as gunners, riflemen, and grenade launchers in various units of the Russian army, with passport data and recruitment details known to Ukrainian special services.
- The recruitment process includes medical examinations, training centers, and eventual deployment to fight in Ukraine, with ongoing recruitment as of April 2025.
More than 150 Chinese are fighting in the Russian army — Zelenskyy
The President noted that there could be many more such mercenaries.
For these 155, there is passport data, where they come from, their documents, age, places of service. The scheme of how they are recruited is clear. One of the schemes is through social networks, in particular TikTok and other Chinese social networks, where the Russians distribute advertising videos. Official Beijing knows about this. The Russians distribute advertising videos about recruitment through Chinese social networks. Non-secret recruitment is important. Maybe there is also a secret one. Then these people arrive in the Russian Federation, in Moscow. Medical examinations for 3-4 days. 1-2 months — training centers. They fight on the territory of Ukraine.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
President of Ukraine
He named two captured Chinese citizens — Wang Guangjun, born in 1991, and Chang Renbo, born in 1998.
The Public received documents from sources in the special services, which indicate that more than 150 Chinese citizens signed contracts, mostly in the second half of 2024, while there are also those who were selected for military service as early as 2023. They serve in various units - the 255th Motorized Rifle Regiment, the 136th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade, the 70th Motorized Rifle Regiment, and others.
Chinese citizens fight as gunners, riflemen, and grenade launchers, mostly with the rank of private.
As of April 2025, the recruitment of Chinese citizens into the Russian army is ongoing.
On April 8, two Chinese citizens who fought in the Russian army were captured in the Donetsk region. President Zelensky compared them to representatives of other countries that support Russia, such as Iran and North Korea.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it is verifying information about the capture of Chinese soldiers in Ukraine.
