In brief
On April 9, 2025, China's foreign ministry strongly rebuffed claims made by Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky that a number of Chinese nationals were engaged in military operations on behalf of Russia. The allegations surfaced after Zelensky announced the capture of two Chinese fighters and implied that there were “many more” on the battlefield. In response to these claims, Lin Jian, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry, stated that Beijing was currently in the process of verifying the details regarding the captured individuals. He emphasized that the assertion of numerous Chinese fighters involved in the conflict was “groundless” and reiterated China's position against its citizens participating in armed conflicts, urging Chinese nationals to stay away from such situations.
