Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of actively recruiting Chinese citizens to fight alongside them. He said Moscow was enticing soldiers through social media by sharing news and videos.
In an unprecedented development in the Russia-Ukraine war, Kyiv has paraded two captured Chinese nationals who were allegedly fighting alongside Russian troops, The Daily Guardian reports. The latest development defies international norms, as parading prisoners of war is a violation of international humanitarian law. Ukraine’s move seems to have come in response to Beijing’s continued denial of any involvement of its citizens in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The report claims that the Chinese PoWs spoke in Mandarin to reporters.
What prompted Ukraine’s move?
Ukraine aims to garner the attention of the international community, especially the US, to pressure China. Earlier, China rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s claim that over 150 Chinese nationals were fighting in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy has claimed that despite Beijing’s denials, Russia is actively recruiting Chinese citizens to fight alongside its forces in the Ukraine war, with over 150 such mercenaries already active in the battle with Beijing’s knowledge.
Citing intelligence reports, Zelenskyy said Russia was recruiting Chinese citizens through social media by sharing news and videos to entice fresh mercenaries.
The recruits travelled to Moscow and underwent medical examinations before 1 to 2 months of military training and then deployment to Ukraine, Zelenskyy added.
China has responded to the incident, as it said, “We urge relevant parties to correctly understand China’s role and avoid making irresponsible statements.”
Chinese PoWs brought in combat uniforms
A CNN report says that two men who were brought in combat uniforms explained their recruitment in China and how they were transported to Russia. The report adds that a signed military contract of another Chinese fighter confirms Beijing’s involvement in the Russia-Ukraine war.
The two captured Chinese nationals were identified as Wang Guangjun, born in 1991, and Zhang Renbo, born in 1998. They were fighting in different Russian military brigades and were captured in two different villages in the Donetsk region.
(With agency inputs)
