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Captured Chinese soldier says he was almost killed by his Russian allies but saved by Ukrainian soldiers
Volodymyr Zelensky has shared a new video revealing part of the interrogation of two captured Chinese soldiers, after Beijing called his claims about them “baseless”.
The video shows that the two captured Chinese soldiers carried passports from the People’s Republic of China (PRC), one of which was issued in 2023.
The captured soldiers reveal details of their experience fighting in Ukraine alongside Russia, with one of them claiming that fighting in the Ukraine war was his first deployment and he had never held a weapon before. The other soldier, who identified himself as Wang Guangjun, said his own side dropped gas on him when it looked like he was about to be captured and he had surrendered, but he was saved by a Ukrainian soldier.
Mr Zelensky claimed Beijing was turning a blind eye to the fact that Russia was recruiting Chinese citizens via social media. He said Ukraine’s intelligence shows at least 155 Chinese citizens fighting for the Russian military against Ukraine.
Donald Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, said he was “not convinced yet” the Chinese personnel identified as fighting on behalf of Russia against Ukraine were more than mercenaries or volunteers.
China has swiftly denied that its soldiers are fighting the war in Ukraine alongside Russia.
Volodymyr Zelensky said the Ukrainian military had captured two Chinese men fighting alongside the Russian army on Ukrainian soil, marking the first time Ukraine had made such a claim about Chinese fighters in the war.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said in Beijing that China has played a “constructive role in politically resolving the Ukraine crisis.”
Mr Lin told a daily news briefing yesterday that “the Chinese government always asks Chinese citizens to stay away from conflict zones, avoid getting involved in any form of armed conflict, and especially refrain from participating in any party’s military operations.”
His comments appeared to indicate that the captured Chinese had joined Russia’s ranks on their own initiative.
Both Russia and Ukraine allow foreign soldiers to enlist.
China has previously put forward a vague peace plan that was swiftly dismissed by most observers.
About 155 Chinese mercenaries are fighting for the Russian military against Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky said.
He showed journalists documents that he said listed the names, passport numbers and personal information on the recruits, including when they arrived in Russia for military training and departed for service.
The Kremlin is recruiting Chinese people via social media – and Beijing knows it, according to Ukrainian intelligence, Mr Zelensky said.
He said Kyiv was trying to assess whether the recruits were receiving instructions from the Chinese government.
In China, officials branded the allegations “totally unfounded”.
Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed that Ukrainian troops are active inside Russia’s Belgorod region, as Kyiv seeks to protect towns near the border.
The Ukrainian president described the move as “absolutely justified” as Ukraine looks to stave off Russian advances, as Moscow delays ceasefire negotiations in an apparent effort to seize more land.
According to a battlefield map by war analysts the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Ukrainian troops in Belgorod advanced as far as the settlement of Demidovka, around two kilometres from the Ukrainian border.
Here’s a look at all of Ukrainian-held Russian territory:
The Chinese prisoner has a fearful expression as his Ukrainian captors train a video camera on him. He speaks in Mandarin, the common language of his homeland. His green uniform is like any regular soldier’s. But is it proof that China is fighting alongside the Russian army?
This is a hybrid war and while China has not disputed the facts, the boundaries of truth are cloaked in deniability. The incident – astutely publicised by Ukraine just as America is in a trade showdown with China – has illuminated the shadows of a very modern conflict.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said his troops captured two Chinese citizens after a skirmish in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. They found identity documents, bank cards and other evidence of their nationality. In most armies that would be a severe security lapse.
Michael Sheridan writes:
Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, said he is “not convinced yet” that the Chinese personnel identified as fighting on behalf of Russia against Ukraine are more than mercenaries or volunteers.
“There’s an axiom in the military, the first report is always wrong,” Kellogg said during an appearance yesterday at Georgetown University.
“And this is one of those let’s sit back and see how this plays out, because it could be volunteers,” he said.
Mr Kellogg noted that Ukraine also has volunteers from other countries, including the United States, fighting on its behalf.
He added that the early reports of Chinese personnel are not on par with North Korea’s deployment of thousands of troops to the frontlines.
A new video shared by Volodymyr Zelensky shows part of the interrogation of the two captured Chinese soldiers, after Beijing called his claims about them “baseless”.
In the video the soldiers reveal details of their experience fighting in Ukraine alongside Russia, and one of their Chinese passports is also shown to the camera.
The soldier whose passport is shown said that this war was his first deployment and he had never held a weapon before.
Another soldier, who identified himself as Wang Guangjun, said that when he surrended in the fighting, the Russian soldiers “dropped some kind of gas on them”.
“He was in the shelter, inhaling the gas. He thought he was going to die but a Ukrainian serviceman rushed in and dragged him out by the scruff, and after that he lost consciousness,” a translator interrogating him said.
Ukrainian intelligence has information there are about 155 Chinese citizens fighting for the Russian military against Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
Mr Zelensky claimed that Russia was recruiting Chinese citizens via social media and that Chinese officials were aware of that.
He added that Ukraine was trying to assess whether the recruits were receiving instructions from Beijing.
A spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry said earlier China was verifying the situation with Ukraine, adding that its government had always required its citizens to avoid areas of armed conflict and “especially to avoid participating in the military operations of any party”.
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Ukraine war live: Zelensky releases video of captured Chinese soldiers with passports – The Independent
