News / China / Russia

China warns Ukraine over 'irresponsible' claim of Chinese soldiers in war

Thursday, 10 April 2025 6:15 PM [ Last Update: Thursday, 10 April 2025 6:15 PM ]

Chinese tanks roll about 250 kilometers southeast of the Russian city of Chita during the military exercises Vostok 2018 in September 2018.

China has issued a complaint against Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky’s remarks after he allegedly claimed Beijing knew its citizens were fighting alongside Russia in the conflict.

China’s foreign ministry on Thursday warned “relevant parties” in the Russia-Ukraine conflict to "refrain from expressing irresponsible remarks."

"We would advise the relevant parties to recognize China's role correctly and clear-headedly," ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a routine news briefing.

Lin said Beijing "has always required that its nationals ... avoid involving themselves in armed conflicts in any form."

"China is not a creator of or party to the Ukraine crisis. We are staunch supporters and active promoters of a peaceful resolution," he said.

Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that China is a Russian "partner, friend, and comrade," adding, "China has always taken a very balanced position, so Zelensky is wrong."

The Ukrainian leader said Wednesday that Kiev had information on 155 Chinese nationals deployed to assist Russia.

The Ukrainian leader also accused Russia of "dragging China into this war," a claim dismissed by the Kremlin on Thursday.

Ukrainian sources say one of the captured Chinese nationals had paid $3,480 to a middleman in China to join the Russian army, hoping to obtain Russian citizenship.

The captive reportedly said he was trained in Luhansk as part of a group of Chinese nationals, some of whom had legal issues back home.

Russia and Ukraine allow foreigners to enlist in their armies.

China’s response suggests that any Chinese nationals fighting in Ukraine may have done so independently.

Beijing has maintained itself as a neutral party in the three-year conflict despite criticism from Western governments that it has provided Russia with economic and diplomatic support.

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