Volodymyr Zelensky instructed the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) to transfer to China information about Chinese citizens working at a drone factory in Russia.
The president said this at a briefing on April 22.
"It may be so, according to our information, that Russia made an agreement with these citizens outside the agreements with the Chinese leadership, stole [Chinese] technologies [for the production of UAVs]. I think it will be important for Beijing to see how their partners work with them," Zelensky said.
Data on Chinaʼs possible military cooperation with Moscow will also be transmitted to Beijing through the Foreign Intelligence Service and through the channels of Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha.
Zelensky added that the Chinese authorities did not personally communicate with him on this matter. According to him, communication took place exclusively at the level of the embassy and Ukrainian diplomats.
Chinaʼs participation in the war against Ukraine
Since the beginning of Russiaʼs full-scale invasion, China has never supported Ukraine. Beijing has supported Moscow and condemned the sanctions imposed by the West against it.
On April 8, 2025, Volodymyr Zelensky informed that two Chinese citizens who fought in the Russian army were captured in the Donetsk region.
The Office of the President noted that Ukrainian defenders engaged in combat with six Chinese servicemen near the settlements of Tarasivka and Bilohorivka in the Donetsk region. This was the first publicly known case of the participation of Chinese servicemen in the war against Ukraine on the side of the Russian Federation.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry summoned the Chinese chargé dʼaffaires, demanding an explanation for the participation of citizens of that country in the war.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said it was “checking the information with the Ukrainian side”. It stressed that the Chinese government has always asked its citizens to “stay away from armed conflict zones” and avoid any participation in hostilities or conflicts.
Zelensky stressed: Ukrainian special services have information that the Russian army includes at least 155 Chinese citizens. Ukrainian intelligence has their documents.
- Already on April 17, the President of Ukraine stated that the Russian army receives gunpowder and artillery from China — this data was provided by the Security Service and Intelligence. At that time, he noted that representatives of the PRC are engaged in the production of some weapons on Russian territory.
- In Beijing, Zelenskyʼs statement was called baseless. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian stressed that China has never provided lethal weapons to any party in the "Ukrainian crisis" — this is how China calls the war in Ukraine.
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