Report Claims China Secretly Trained Russian Soldiers for Ukraine War

The revelations, cited in a Reuters review of classified materials, suggest a deeper level of military cooperation between Beijing and Moscow than previously acknowledged.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, both countries have conducted joint military exercises. However, China has consistently described itself as neutral in the conflict and positioned as a potential peace mediator.

The new findings appear to challenge that stance, indicating more direct involvement in the war.

According to a 2015 bilateral agreement reviewed by Reuters, China and Russia signed a training cooperation deal in Beijing covering advanced military instruction. The program reportedly included training Russian troops in Beijing and the eastern city of Nanjing in areas such as drone warfare, counter-drone systems, electronic warfare, and armored infantry tactics. In exchange, Chinese personnel were also expected to receive training at Russian military facilities. The agreement reportedly included strict confidentiality clauses prohibiting public disclosure or third-party reporting.

European intelligence officials say drones have become a decisive factor in the Ukraine war. While Russia has extensive battlefield experience, China’s expertise in drone technology and advanced simulation-based training reportedly provided valuable new capabilities for Russian forces.

Many of the Russian soldiers trained in China were reportedly senior instructors who later returned home to pass on the knowledge. Intelligence sources also claim that several Russian officers deployed in occupied Ukrainian regions such as Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia have been identified as participants in drone-based combat operations, with ranks ranging from junior sergeant to lieutenant colonel.

Internal Russian military documents reviewed by Reuters reportedly detail training exercises that included 82mm mortar firing, drone-based target identification, electronic warfare systems used to down enemy drones, and net-based drone capture techniques. Training at Nanjing University of Science and Technology allegedly also included hands-on instruction in mine laying and clearance.

China and Russia’s defense ministries have not commented on the allegations. However, China’s foreign ministry reiterated that Beijing maintains a neutral stance on the Ukraine conflict and urged against “politicizing” the issue.

The report comes amid heightened geopolitical tensions, shortly after high-level diplomatic engagements involving U.S. President Donald Trump and ahead of a scheduled meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

While Western nations continue efforts to isolate Moscow, China has maintained economic ties with Russia, including continued purchases of oil and gas, while expanding broader strategic cooperation — raising concerns among European governments about deepening military alignment between the two powers.