Reuters: China secretly trained Russian soldiers who later fought in Ukraine

The Chinese military secretly trained about 200 Russian military personnel in China in late 2025, with some later returning to fight in Ukraine, Reuters reported on May 19, citing three European intelligence agencies and documents seen by the agency.

The covert training, focused largely on drone warfare, was outlined in a Russian-Chinese agreement signed by senior officers from both countries in Beijing on July 2, 2025. The agreement said Russian troops were to be trained at Chinese military facilities, including in Beijing and Nanjing, Reuters reported.

The documents and intelligence assessments cited by Reuters said the training also covered electronic warfare, army aviation, armored infantry, explosives handling, demining, and counter-drone measures.

One intelligence official told Reuters that by training Russian military personnel who later participated in combat operations in Ukraine, China appears more directly involved in Russia's war effort than previously known.

The report adds to mounting evidence of expanding military cooperation between Moscow and Beijing. A Kyiv Independent investigation published in December 2025 found that Chinese military officials and defense industry representatives visited Russia after the start of the full-scale invasion to inspect military equipment and discuss training cooperation.

That investigation also found that China sought Russian military equipment and training for its paratroopers while directing money to sanctioned Russian defense companies.

Reuters reported that some of the Russian personnel trained in China were military instructors capable of passing battlefield experience and technical knowledge down the chain of command. One European intelligence agency told Reuters it had identified several Russian servicemen who trained in China and later took part in drone combat operations in occupied Crimea and Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

Reuters said it could not independently verify the subsequent combat involvement of those individuals.

Internal Russian military reports reviewed by Reuters described several training sessions held in China. One course at a People's Liberation Army facility in Shijiazhuang trained Russian soldiers, according to the reports, to use drones to identify targets for 82 mm mortar fire.

Another session focused on counter-drone warfare, including the use of electronic warfare rifles, drones, and net-launching systems designed to intercept incoming UAVs, Reuters reported.

China has repeatedly claimed neutrality in Russia's war against Ukraine and has presented itself as a potential peace mediator.

The report comes ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin's expected visit to Beijing this week for talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

China and Russia declared a "no limits" partnership shortly before Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Since then, Beijing has become one of Russia's key economic partners while denying accusations that it provides direct military support for the war.