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One of two Chinese nationals captured while fighting for Russia is seen during questioning in Kyiv, Ukraine, on April 9, 2025. Photo: Security Service of Ukrane
At least 51 Chinese nationals applied to enlist in the Russian military at a recruitment center in Moscow between June 2023 and May 2024, an investigation by the independent exiled outlet Important Stories (IStories) has found. The report followed the capture earlier this week of two Chinese soldiers fighting for Russia in Ukraine, which marked Kyiv’s first official claim that Beijing was supporting Russia with personnel.
On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that at least 155 Chinese nationals are currently fighting on behalf of Russia, adding that “many more” are believed to be involved in the conflict, based on intelligence gathered by his government.
In response, on Thursday a spokesperson for the Chinese government urged all parties to “correctly and soberly understand China’s role” and warned against making “irresponsible remarks.”
Zelensky’s claim appears to be supported — at least in part — by verified findings from IStories. In 2023, 31 Chinese citizens applied for contracts with Russia’s Ministry of Defense, followed by another 20 in 2024. The highest monthly total was recorded in July 2023, when eight Chinese nationals reportedly visited a Moscow recruitment center with the intention of joining the Russian military.
As noted by IStories, most of these individuals had spent no more than two days in Russia before arriving at the recruitment center. However, not all ultimately signed contracts — at least four Chinese would-be volunteers returned to China after visiting the enlistment office.
The youngest known recruit to pass through the Moscow selection point was just 20 years old; the oldest was 51. At least one Chinese citizen has already been killed in the war in Ukraine. The fate of most of the others remains unknown.
Journalists reviewed the social media accounts of several Chinese fighters and found frequent complaints about poor equipment, inadequate medical care, and language barriers that made it difficult to follow orders.
Jianwei Li, 41, who traveled to Russia and applied to the contract recruitment center in December 2023, shared detailed accounts of his service in the Russian army on social media. According to Li, during one battle, a foreign mercenary and two Russian soldiers fled in fear, while a Cuban fighter pretended to be ill to avoid combat.
“That’s why you can’t trust anyone on the battlefield, including your colleagues. In China, we don’t have such problems. Our Chinese military are like brothers — they can even sacrifice their lives to save you. But outside of China, you can only rely on yourself,” Li commented.
IStories quoted Temur Umarov, an expert at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center in Berlin, who said the involvement of Chinese citizens in the war on Russia’s side does not necessarily indicate that Beijing is providing official military support to Moscow:
“Considering the small number of Chinese citizens who ended up among the volunteers on the Russian side in the war in Ukraine, I don’t think the Communist Party and the leadership of the PRC were aware of their arrival and participation in the war. These citizens could very well have voluntarily left and signed contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense to earn money or somehow resolve their legal issues. There is no exit ban in China. Any PRC citizen who has the means and no debts can leave their country, and there is no difficulty in coming to Russia. I think this is indeed a voluntary decision of those citizens.”
Citizens from multiple countries have taken part in the war since Russia unleashed its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Just three days into the war, President Volodymyr Zelensky issued a call for “friends of peace and democracy” around the world to come to Ukraine’s defense — an appeal that led to the formation of the International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine (ILDU). According to the Ukrainian government, the Legion initially drew as many as 20,000 volunteers, though experts have since quoted far smaller figures as more realistic.
In January 2023, The Washington Post estimated that the figure was likely closer to 3,000. Four experts contacted by Business Insider estimated the May 2024 strength of the legion at between 1,000 and 2,000.
In 2022, Vladimir Putin backed a policy permitting foreign nationals to participate in Russia’s war effort. Since then, numerous men from South America, post-Soviet Central Asia, and even South Asian countries like Nepal, India, and Sri Lanka, have enlisted, often driven by economic hardship and the promise of financial gain.
An official from Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs estimated that around 200 Nepali men were fighting for Russia by the end of 2023. However, other estimates suggest the number of Nepalis on the battlefield could be in the thousands. India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed several weeks ago that 127 of its citizens had served in the Russian army.
Russia recently enlisted the help of its totalitarian neighbor, North Korea, to help with manpower and equipment. In October 2024, an estimated 1,500 North Korean special forces soldiers arrived in Russia in support of Moscow’s attempts to fight back Ukrainian troops in its western Kursk Region. By November, the U.S. Department of Defense estimated that between 11,000 and 12,000 North Korean troops were stationed in the area.
“But there is a difference: North Koreans fought against us on the front in Kursk, the Chinese are fighting on the territory of Ukraine,” noted Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky in a press conference on Tuesday.
Ukraine has captured prisoners of war fighting for Russia from multiple other countries — including Somalia and Gambia. Many such personnel signed contracts with the MoD after being deliberately deceived by recruiters.The Insider documented some of their stories in a December 2024 video report.