Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of dragging China into the war in Ukraine, calling it “the second biggest mistake” made by Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to Zelensky, Russia’s first mistake was involving North Korea, and now, he believes they are bringing China into the conflict. He expressed this in a statement to reporters in Kyiv.
Zelensky claimed that Ukraine has evidence of Chinese nationals being recruited by Russia to fight in the war. He said they have information about over 150 Chinese citizens who are now fighting on the front lines in Ukraine. This came after Ukraine’s army reportedly captured two Chinese citizens in the eastern Donetsk region.
“The issue with the Chinese is serious. We have names and passport details of 155 people who are fighting against Ukrainians,” Zelensky said, adding that Ukraine had collected details on the Chinese fighters.
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Zelensky also shared a video showing one of the Chinese nationals captured by the Ukrainian army. In the video, the prisoner, dressed in military clothes, was heard making combat sounds and speaking Mandarin. Ukrainian forces said they found Chinese ID cards and contracts for Russian military service on the captured individuals.
However, China has denied Zelensky’s claims. A Chinese government spokesperson, Lin Jian, said that the accusation that many Chinese citizens are fighting for Russia is “absolutely groundless.” He stressed that China has consistently urged its citizens to stay away from war zones and avoid getting involved in conflicts.
Zelensky had previously accused North Korea of sending over 10,000 soldiers to fight alongside Russia in Ukraine after a Ukrainian attack on Russia’s Kursk region.
Also See: Ukraine Captures Two Chinese Nationals Fighting for Russia
This situation adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing war in Ukraine, as Zelensky warns about the international involvement in the conflict.
