KYIV: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday Ukrainian troops had captured two Chinese citizens fighting alongside Russian forces, adding that Kyiv would demand an explanation from Beijing and a reaction from its allies.
Moscow and Beijing have deepened ties since Russia invaded Ukraine in Feb 2022.
“Our military captured two Chinese citizens who fought in the Russian army. This happened on the territory of Ukraine — in the Donetsk region,” Zelensky said. “We have the documents of these prisoners, bank cards, and personal data,” Zelensky said in a post that included a video of one of the alleged prisoners. “I have instructed the foreign minister of Ukraine to immediately contact Beijing and find out how China is going to respond to this.”
There was no immediate response from either Moscow or Beijing. China presents itself as a neutral party in the conflict and says it is not sending lethal aid to either side, unlike the Western nations. But it is a close ally of Russia afp
