Chinese nationals claim Russian entrapment in the Ukraine conflict
Two Chinese nationals captured in Ukraine have claimed that they were drawn into the conflict by Russia. They admitted to signing contracts in Russia but assured that they had no connections with the Chinese government.
What do you need to know?
- Two Chinese citizens were captured at the beginning of April in the Donetsk region of Ukraine. They admitted to becoming involved in the war after signing contracts in Russia and stated they had no connections with the Chinese government.
- One of the prisoners wanted to work as a medic but was drawn into the conflict. He lost his job during the COVID-19 pandemic and was seeking a new means of livelihood.
- The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, reported at least 155 Chinese soldiers fighting alongside Russia. The authorities in Beijing are aware of the recruitment of Chinese citizens by Moscow.
How did the Chinese nationals end up in the war?
Two Chinese nationals captured in Ukraine admitted at a press conference in Kyiv that they were lured into the conflict by Russia. They signed contracts to participate in the war without consulting Chinese authorities. One prisoner wanted to work as a medic but was lured into the conflict by intermediaries offering contracts for service in the Russian army.
He added that he had lost his job during the COVID-19 pandemic, which prompted him to seek a new source of livelihood. He noted that military service is highly respected in Chinese society.
They didn't know they would end up on the front lines
- The government in Beijing had warned against travelling to conflict zones... I aspired to become a medic. I was injured and surrendered - announced one of the Chinese prisoners.
The second prisoner, hailing from a reasonably affluent family, recounted that he went to Russia for tourism purposes. A Chinese citizen admitted that before the conflict, they had little knowledge about Ukraine and hadn’t anticipated becoming involved in the war.
Did the Chinese government know about the recruitment?
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, revealed that Ukrainian intelligence has information about at least 155 Chinese soldiers fighting alongside Russia.
The authorities in Beijing are aware of the recruitment of Chinese citizens by Moscow. The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing, Lin Jian, described these reports as "irresponsible".
