Zelensky: "Two Chinese Soldiers Captured Fighting for Russian Forces"

Two Chinese Nationals Captured Alive in Eastern Donetsk, Ukraine
Bloomberg: "Voluntary Participation Without Chinese Government Involvement"
Agreed to Receive 34 Million KRW as Compensation for Fighting

As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its third year, two Chinese nationals fighting as part of the Russian forces in the eastern Donetsk region of Ukraine have been captured alive.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on the 8th through X (formerly Twitter) that two Chinese nationals fighting as part of the Russian forces in Ukraine were captured. President Zelensky X

On the 8th (local time), Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the Ukrainian military captured two Chinese men as prisoners during combat, stating, "Identification cards, bank cards, and personal information were found among their belongings."

The video posted by President Zelensky shows one of the two captured Chinese prisoners. The man, presumed to be Chinese, is seen wearing military uniform with his hands tied with cable ties, explaining his experiences on the battlefield to Ukrainian officials.

According to Bloomberg News, preliminary interrogation by Ukraine revealed that these prisoners voluntarily joined the Russian forces without involvement from the Chinese government.

One of the prisoners is a 33-year-old Chinese man who was recruited by the Russian military in China and signed a military service contract in Moscow, Russia. The other Chinese man, aged 31, volunteered through an online advertisement and contracted with the Russian military, reportedly receiving 2 million rubles (34.22 million KRW).

In response, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Syvokha summoned the Chinese charg? d'affaires in Ukraine to demand an explanation. Minister Syvokha pointed out via X that "the participation of Chinese nationals as part of the Russian invading forces raises questions about China's 'position for peace.'"

President Zelensky criticized, "China’s direct or indirect involvement in this war that Russia is waging in Europe is a clear sign that Russian President Vladimir Putin has no intention of ending the war," adding, "He continues to look for ways to keep fighting." He further stated, "Chinese troops are fighting on Ukrainian territory," calling it "an urgent and important point that must be discussed."