China Denies Accusations of Military Involvement in Ukraine

China on Wednesday denied any military involvement in the Ukraine war, after Ukrainian forces captured two Chinese nationals in the country’s east who were allegedly fighting for the Russian army, the Wall Street Journal reported.

On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian troops fighting in the Donetsk region apprehended two Chinese nationals, highlighting their documents, bank cards, and personal data.

Zelenskyy added there were “many more Chinese citizens in the occupier’s units than just two.”

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha later said Kyiv has summoned Beijing’s diplomats in Ukraine “to condemn this fact and demand an explanation,” CNN added.

But Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian countered that Beijing is “verifying information” with Ukraine while rejecting Zelenskyy’s claims that more Chinese nationals have joined Russian troops.

Lin added that the Chinese government has always asked its nationals to avoid armed conflict areas or any form of participation in any such conflict.

Russia did not comment on Ukraine’s claims.

It is unclear if the captured Chinese nationals were soldiers or volunteers, but US and other Western officials noted that there was no “evidence of state sponsorship here.” They suggested that the detained individuals were mercenaries – among thousands who have joined Russia’s military for money since the war began more than three years ago.

Still, their presence prompted questions about China’s ongoing role in the war in Ukraine.

Beijing has maintained neutrality in the conflict, although it has supported Russia economically, but not explicitly militarily: Last year, Biden administration officials told CNN that China has provided Moscow with drones, technology for cruise missiles, and machine tools used in weapons production.

The US has also accused Beijing of prolonging the war and being a “major enabler” through its aid to Russia.

In contrast, North Korea has provided extensive military support to Moscow, sending thousands of troops to fight in Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces had seized territory.