China today denied Ukrainian claims that a significant number of Chinese nationals are fighting in Ukraine on the side of Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said yesterday that the Ukrainian military had captured two Chinese nationals fighting alongside Russian troops in the eastern Donetsk region and that he had information that “a significant number of Chinese nationals are fighting on the Russian side.”
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said in Beijing that China had played a constructive role in the political settlement of the Ukrainian crisis.
Lin said at a daily briefing on Wednesday that the Chinese government always asks Chinese citizens to stay away from conflict zones, avoid interfering in any form of armed conflict, and especially refrain from participating in military operations of any side.
China has provided strong diplomatic support to Russia since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Beijing has also offered Russia an “economic bailout” through energy trade, amid Western sanctions on Moscow, but so far the Chinese military has not officially participated in the conflict.
Earlier, Ukraine and the United States said that thousands of North Korean soldiers had helped Russia under an agreement between the Kremlin and the government in Pyongyang, and both Kiev and Moscow allow foreign nationals to participate in the war.
US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said yesterday that the United States had been informed of reports that Chinese citizens fighting on behalf of Russia had been captured in Ukraine, calling them “disturbing”.
“China is Russia’s main ally in the war in Ukraine,” Bruce said.
