Chinese soldiers say Russia’s army is weaker than they expected

• Ukrainian troops captured two Chinese soldiers fighting for Russia in Donetsk. Both captured men said that Russian forces misled them into joining and called their experience disillusioning. They expressed regret and said they hope to return to China in a future prisoner exchange.
• The captured fighters, Wang Guangjun and Zhang Renbo, said that they volunteered, denied having Chinese government ties and spoke at a press event organized by Ukraine.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that intelligence had identified at least 155 Chinese citizens fighting for Russia.

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Ukrainian forces recently captured two Chinese nationals fighting for Russia in Donetsk. The captured fighters, Wang Guangjun and Zhang Renbo, spoke at a government-led press conference and said Russian forces misled them into combat roles.

Wang said Russian propaganda influenced his decision and that his embassy offered no help when he sought support. Zhang said he never harmed Ukrainian soldiers and misunderstood what he had signed up for. Both described disillusionment and said Russia’s military was far weaker than portrayed, urging others not to believe Russia’s portrayal of the conflict. Both men claimed they joined voluntarily and denied having any ties to the Chinese government.

Our military has captured two Chinese citizens who were fighting as part of the Russian army. This happened on Ukrainian territory—in the Donetsk region. Identification documents, bank cards, and personal data were found in their possession.

We have information suggesting that… pic.twitter.com/ekBr6hCkQL

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 8, 2025

Wang said he enlisted after losing his job during the pandemic and seeing recruitment ads online. Zhang said he traveled to Russia for construction work and Russian forces later conscripted him. Both expressed regret and said they hoped to return to China — not Russia — in a future prisoner exchange.

How are Chinese fighters being recruited?

Chinese nationals reportedly joined Russian forces through misleading recruitment campaigns. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said intelligence shows at least 155 Chinese citizens have served for Russia. The outlet Important Stories verified that more than 50 Chinese individuals visited a Moscow military recruitment center between mid-2023 and 2024.

Recruits said Russian forces promised them high pay but forced them into labor, withheld adequate food and water and provided no medical aid. Many received little training, didn’t speak Russian and were deployed to the front lines soon after arrival.

A Chinese veteran with the code name “Red Macaron” gave a separate interview with independent journalist Chai Ling, describing severe moral conflict and racist abuse from commanders. He said commanders punished him for reporting the theft of his gear and abused fellow soldiers who refused to kill.

China’s alleged involvement

China denied any involvement in the war. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Beijing is verifying reports of Chinese fighters but maintains that China is not a party to the conflict. However, Western officials have raised concerns about China’s material and diplomatic support for Russia.

The U.S. State Department said China provides nearly 80% of the dual-use items sustaining Russia’s war effort. European leaders, including Dutch MP Jan Paternotte, have accused China of enabling the conflict and called for a strong response.

What happens next?

The future of the captured fighters remains unclear. Zhang said he was ready to face punishment but wanted to reunite with his family. Both urged others not to be misled by promises from Russian recruiters.

“All Russia fed us are lies,” Wang said. “Real war is completely different from what we have seen in movies and on TV.”