Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Tuesday that Ukrainian forces have captured two Chinese nationals who were reportedly fighting for Russia in eastern Ukraine. This development could complicate ongoing peace efforts in the conflict that has persisted for three years.
Zelenskyy shared this information via social media, where he also mentioned that there may be more Chinese citizens involved in the fighting. However, he did not specify whether these individuals were acting under orders from Beijing. He expressed concern that Russia’s collaboration with China and other nations signals that President Vladimir Putin is not interested in ending the war.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry has not yet responded to requests for comments regarding this incident, which marks the first known case of Chinese citizens being captured while fighting for Russia in Ukraine. Ukrainian officials, including Andriy Kovalenko from the National Security and Defence Council, labeled the captured individuals as mercenaries but provided no further details.
Zelenskyy highlighted that while Russia has engaged troops from countries like North Korea, the involvement of Chinese fighters on Ukrainian territory is significant. He stressed that this situation should prompt a stronger response from the United States regarding Russia’s actions.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce described the reports of captured Chinese nationals as troubling but did not confirm their validity. She emphasized that China’s support for Russia contributes to global instability.
In light of these developments, Zelenskyy hopes that the U.S. will take a firmer stance on Russia during peace negotiations. He indicated that Ukrainian forces have encountered a total of six Chinese fighters. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated that Ukraine has summoned China’s charge d’affaires to express their condemnation and seek an explanation.
China, which has maintained a close partnership with Russia, has previously stated its willingness to facilitate peace talks to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. However, the recent capture of Chinese fighters adds a new layer of complexity to the already tense situation.