Russia Doesn't Care Who Dies, It Just Needs the War to Continue - Volodymyr Zelensky

Volodymyr Zelensky shared a five-minute video showing the two captured Chinese citizens: Zhang Renbo and Wang Guangjun.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday that Russia's involvement of Chinese citizens in the invasion of Ukraine "is a deliberate step towards expanding the war and is yet another indication that Moscow feels the need to drag out the fight."

"To date, we have accurate data on more than 150 Chinese citizens who were involved in Russia's war against Ukraine. We know that the real number is higher. Ukraine considers such blatant involvement of Chinese citizens in hostilities on Ukrainian territory to be a deliberate step towards expanding the war and is yet another indication that Moscow feels the need to drag out the fight," the head of state wrote on the social network X (Twitter).

Zelensky said that today, investigators from the Ukrainian Security Service spoke with two captured Chinese citizens. He also assured that the Ukrainian authorities are “working to establish all the facts regarding the involvement of these and other Chinese citizens in the Russian occupation army”, as are the Ukrainian secret services.

“Russia does not care who dies in this insane war, it just needs the war to continue. We all need – all partners, all fair-minded participants in international relations – to deprive Russia of the ability to continue the war, including through the use of people like these”, he accused.

In addition to this letter, the Ukrainian president also shared a five-minute video in which the two citizens in question appear.

The first, whose name he said was Zhang Renbo, said he was from Jiangxi province. The man assured that he had never participated in a combat mission, nor had he picked up a weapon before being mobilized. He also said he had an AK-74 weapon and that there were two other Russian citizens with him.

The second citizen identified himself as Wang Guangjun and said he was from Henan province. The 34-year-old man claimed to be a prisoner of war and said he had surrendered in a group of three people, one of whom was his commander, Peng, “or something like that.” The other element was a Russian citizen.

“After he had already surrendered, the Russians released some kind of explosive gas. He was in a shelter, inhaling this gas. He thought he was going to die, but a Ukrainian soldier came in and dragged him by the neck and then he lost consciousness,” the interpreter explained, after the man was questioned about claims that the Ukrainians had saved his life.

It is worth remembering that Zelensky said today that Kyiv authorities have already identified at least 155 Chinese fighting alongside Russia, and that Beijing is aware of sending its citizens to the conflict.

The Ukrainian president described one of the recruitment schemes as involving social media, mainly TikTok, "where Russians broadcast advertising videos". He also explained that Chinese citizens then undergo medical examinations in Russia and several months of training to fight on Ukrainian territory, and that they receive a Russian bank card, through which they receive payment.

In response to the revelation of the capture of the two fighters, China denied that its citizens are participating in an organised way in the war in Ukraine alongside Russian troops and reiterated its position of neutrality and commitment to a political solution to the conflict.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jean said that Beijing is "verifying the information with the Ukrainian side" and stressed that the Chinese government has always required its citizens to "stay away from conflict zones and refrain from participating in military operations on either side".

Zelensky had reported the previous day that the Ukrainian army had captured two Chinese soldiers and that the Kyiv authorities "have documents identifying them", including bank cards and personal information found among their belongings.

The United States, which has been seeking to reach a ceasefire between the parties, also spoke out on the case, noting that the capture of the Chinese fighters "is worrying" and accusing Beijing of supporting Moscow in its war effort.