Russians covertly trained by China return to fight in Ukraine, sources say
China secretly trained around 200 Russian military personnel in late 2025, focusing on drones and other combat skills, with some now deployed in Ukraine, according to European intelligence agencies and a reviewed agreement. The covert program deepens China’s indirect involvement in the war, despite Beijing’s public stance of neutrality and mediation efforts.
China’s armed forces covertly trained approximately 200 Russian military personnel in late 2025, primarily in drone warfare, electronic combat, and armored infantry tactics, according to three European intelligence agencies and a dual-language agreement reviewed by Reuters. The agreement, signed in Beijing on July 2, 2025, outlined training at facilities in Beijing and Nanjing, with restrictions on media coverage or third-party disclosure. While China and Russia have conducted joint military exercises since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, this marks the first confirmed instance of Russian troops receiving operational training in China before returning to fight in Ukraine. The agreement also specified that hundreds of Chinese troops would train in Russia, though European intelligence sources confirmed this had been occurring since at least 2024. The training program suggests China’s deeper involvement in the conflict, contradicting Beijing’s public neutrality stance and mediation role. China’s foreign ministry reiterated its position, stating it remains objective and impartial in the Ukraine crisis while urging against confrontation. Drones have become a critical weapon in Ukraine, with both sides using long-range and FPV-controlled models for attacks and battlefield dominance. Reuters previously reported that Chinese private-sector experts aided a sanctioned Russian drone manufacturer, though China denied awareness of the collaboration. The two companies involved were sanctioned by the EU last month. European powers are monitoring the growing Russia-China military partnership, which includes a ‘no limits’ strategic alliance announced before the Ukraine invasion. China has supported Russia economically by purchasing its oil, gas, and coal, countering Western isolation efforts. Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit China this week, marking his 25th trip, further solidifying their ‘all-weather’ partnership amid Western pressure on Beijing to influence Moscow’s actions in Ukraine.
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