Desk:In a major revelation amid the ongoing war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed on Tuesday that two Chinese nationals have been captured while fighting alongside Russian forces. This is the first known instance in the three-year-long war where Chinese citizens have been taken prisoner. The incident reportedly occurred in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.
Zelensky shared the news via his Telegram account, stating, “Our forces have detained two Chinese citizens who were fighting with the Russian military on Ukrainian soil in the Donetsk area. We are in possession of their documents, bank cards, and other personal information.”
The Ukrainian President further alleged that these may not be the only Chinese nationals involved. “We believe there are more than just two Chinese individuals in the occupying units. Investigations are ongoing, with our intelligence, security services, and armed forces coordinating on this matter,” he said.
Zelensky has instructed Ukraine’s Foreign Minister to urgently contact Beijing to seek clarification. He added, “Russia’s involvement of Chinese citizens in this European war—whether directly or indirectly—shows that Putin has no intention of ending the conflict but rather aims to escalate it.”
Questions Raised Over China’s Neutrality Claims
Following the incident, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha summoned a Chinese official to demand an explanation. Sybiha emphasized that the presence of Chinese fighters in Ukraine undermines China’s longstanding claims of neutrality and damages its credibility as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.
So far, Beijing has not issued any official statement regarding the matter. In the past, China has maintained a neutral stance and denied supplying weapons to either side. However, this new development has reignited global discussion around the nature of Russia-China relations and could potentially escalate international tensions.
An investigation is underway to determine how these Chinese nationals became involved with Russian military operations. Experts say the findings could reveal important information about foreign involvement in the conflict.