At least 163 Chinese nationals are serving in Russia's Armed Forces as of early April, according to a Ukrainian intelligence document seen by the Kyiv Independent on April 9.
Another document showed photos and passport details of 13 Chinese recruits who were being selected for service in the Russian army as of April 2.
"There are 155 Chinese citizens who are fighting against Ukrainians on the territory of Ukraine," President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed this information to journalists on April 9.
"We are collecting information, we believe that there are many more."
"For these 155 there is passport data, where they are from, their Chinese documents, age, etc," Zelensky added.
According to Zelensky, Chinese soldiers had been serving with Russia's 70th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade, the 255th Rifle Division, and others.
A day before, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the capture of two Chinese citizens fighting for Russia in eastern Donetsk Oblast. The group of six Chinese nationals clashed with Ukrainian forces, and two are now being held by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), he said.
The documents, obtained by the Kyiv Independent, list the names, personal data, place of service and position in the Russian army of other Chinese nationals.
The captured Chinese soldiers have been identified as Wang Guangjun and Zhang Renbo, born in 1991 and 1998, respectively, a source told the Kyiv Independent.
Guangjun was captured near Bilohorivka, Donetsk Oblast, while Renbo was captured near Tarasivka, further south.
One of the captured soldiers claimed he paid 300,000 rubles (roughly $3,000) to a middleman in China to join the Russian military in exchange for the promise of citizenship, Ukraine's Luhansk military unit press service told Ukrainian Pravda earlier in the day.
"Beijing knows about this. Russians distribute advertising videos about recruitment through Chinese social networks," Zelensky said.
Following the capture, Zelensky instructed Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha to contact Beijing. Ukraine summoned China's chargé d'affaires to demand an official explanation and express condemnation.
"We record that these are Chinese citizens, they are fighting against us, using weapons against Ukrainians on the territory of Ukraine," the president said.
Beijing responded by saying it was "verifying" the claims, reiterating that Chinese citizens are prohibited from participating in foreign armed conflicts.
Zelensky said the apparent presence of Chinese nationals in the ranks of the Russian military is further proof that Moscow is not seeking peace and continues to draw support from countries like China, Iran, and North Korea.
The U.S. State Department called the incident "disturbing," adding that it is closely monitoring the situation. "We're aware of those reports," spokesperson Tammy Bruce said on April 8.
China, which portrays itself as a neutral party in the war, has become the Kremlin's largest supplier of dual-use goods essential for weapons manufacturing.
Unlike North Korean troops, who have fought on Russian soil, the Chinese nationals were captured on Ukrainian territory, marking a potential escalation in foreign involvement.
North Korea sent around 12,000 troops to Russia's Kursk Oblast in 2024 to reinforce Russian lines after a Ukrainian cross-border offensive. Kyiv has said it captured two North Korean soldiers in January, estimating 4,000 casualties among the deployed units.
Dominic Culverwell
