China calls Zelenkyy's remarks on Chinese fighters in Ukraine 'irresponsible'

BEIJING — China on Thursday described as ''irresponsible" accusations by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Russia is actively recruiting Chinese citizens to fight alongside its forces in the Ukraine war.

Zelenskyy said Wednesday that over 150 such mercenaries are already active on the battlefield with Beijing's knowledge. He spoke after the capture this week of two Chinese nationals who were fighting for Russia in eastern Ukraine.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian repeated China's assertions that it supports and promotes a peaceful settlement to the conflict and that the Chinese government ''always asks Chinese nationals to stay away from areas of armed conflict, avoid any form of involvement in armed conflict, and in particular avoid participation in any party's military operations.''

''We call on the relevant party to be correct and sober about China's role and refrain from making irresponsible remarks,'' Lin said at a daily briefing in response to a question about Zelenskyy's comments.

The two captured Chinese nationals were identified as Wang Guangjun, born in 1991 and Zhang Renbo, born in 1998.

China and Russia are close geostrategic partners. Just days before Russia's full-on invasion of Ukraine three years ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping signed a document declaring a ''friendship without limits'' between their nations, although China has since dropped the phrase as the war grinds on.

China is not known to have provided troops or armaments directly to Russia, but has provided strong diplomatic support and an economic lifeline through the purchase of oil, gas and minerals and the vast majority of ''dual-use'' goods such as engines that have both military and civilian purposes.

Citing intelligence reports, Zelenskyy said Russia was recruiting Chinese citizens through social media by sharing news and videos to entice fresh mercenaries. Zelenskyy said Beijing was aware of the recruitment campaign.

''The Chinese issue is serious,'' he said, in a briefing with reporters. ''There are 155 people with surnames, with passport data, 155 Chinese citizens fighting against Ukrainians on the territory of Ukraine. We are collecting information; we believe that there are many more of them.

''The scheme of how they recruit them is clear. One of the schemes is through social networks, in particular Tik-Tok and other Chinese social networks, where Russians distribute advertising videos,'' he added, saying that ''officially Beijing knows about this. Russians distribute advertising videos about recruitment through Chinese social networks.''

He said it was ''not secret recruitment,'' although parts of it might be covert.

Documents listing the names, passport numbers and personal details of the Chinese recruits known to Ukrainian intelligence were shared with journalists. They are active in the 70th, 71st and 255th Russian motorized rifle regiments, Zelenskyy said.

The recruits traveled to Moscow and underwent medical examinations before 1 to 2 months of military training and then deployment to Ukraine, Zelenskyy said.

Both sides have employed mercenaries and other foreign fighters in the war, including thousands of North Koreans soldiers fighting for Russia on Russian territory. Their effectiveness has been negligible, but their presence points to the generous pay Russia is offering as well as troubles it is having recruiting from among Russians, many of whom have fled abroad to avoid conscription.

Zelenskyy said he is willing to exchange the Chinese fighters for Ukrainian soldiers held captive by Russia. The two men were fighting in different Russian military brigades and were captured in two different villages in the Donetsk region. Zelenskyy said the two were being held by the Ukrainian Security Service in Kyiv.

''We believe that the others are in eastern Ukraine, but in fact we need to look. Here are two different villages, two different brigades. And the brigade, you know, holds a fairly long section,'' Zelenskyy said.