UK defence intelligence officials have no evidence Chinese soldiers captured fighting for Putin have links to the Chinese government, it is understood.
Volodymyr Zelensky has alleged that Chinese soldiers have joined Russia’s war effort, two of whom have been taken prisoner by Ukrainian forces.
Kyiv’s forces engaged in battle with six Chinese troops in Donetsk, the Ukrainian president said, adding that Ukraine believes there are “many more Chinese citizens in the occupier’s units than just these two”.
Kyiv demanded an explanation from Beijing, summoning China’s charge d’affaires as foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said the development “undermines Beijing’s credibility as a responsible permanent member of the UN Security Council”.
But it is understood that UK officials have so far found nothing that links the captured troops to the Chinese government.
It comes months after North Korea first sent troops to assist Vladimir Putin’s war effort in Russia’s Kursk region, where Moscow’s forces have reclaimed large swathes of land from Ukraine.
Russian officials and state media claimed on Tuesday to be close to regaining full control of Kursk after purportedly pushing Ukraine from one of its few remaining footholds in the settlement of Guyevo – although Moscow has frequently made such assertions prematurely.
As Ukraine withdraws from Kursk, Mr Zelensky confirmed for the first time that Ukrainian troops were now operating in Russia’s neighbouring Belgorod region.
17 injured in Russian drone attacks on two Ukrainian cities
At least 17 people were injured in Ukraine yesterday after Russia staged massive drone attacks across several cities, regional officials said.
The Ukrainian cities of Dnipro and Kharkiv, near to the frontline, came under heavy bombardment and saw several fires.
The attack on Dnipro in southeastern Ukraine sparked a fire, damaged houses and cars and injured 14 people, said Serhiy Lysak, governor of Dnipropetrovsk region.
Half of the injured were in hospital and one woman was in serious condition.
In eastern Donetsk, a residential area came under attack in the city of Kramatorsk and local officials said residents were injured.
Eastern Donetsk has been a focal point of the 1,000-km (600-mile) frontline in the more than three-year-old war.
In the northeastern city of Kharkiv, hit by drone attacks nearly every evening over the past week, mayor Ihor Terekhov said there had been more than 20 strikes and a series of explosions.
At least three people were injured and storage facilities were set on fire in Kharkiv, he said. Most of the strikes were in the central Osnovyanskyi district.
Arpan Rai9 April 2025 04:03
Breaking: Zelensky says Chinese soldiers fighting for Russia in Ukraine
Volodymyr Zelensky has alleged that Chinese soldiers were caught after joining Russia’s war effort in eastern Ukraine.
Kyiv’s forces fought six Chinese soldiers in Ukraine, taking two captive, the Ukrainian president said, adding that he expects a reaction from Washington.
He has ordered officials to obtain an official explanation from China regarding its soldiers fighting in Ukraine.
Arpan Rai 9 April 2025 03:33