Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday that 155 Chinese citizens are fighting for Russia in Ukraine. 

He made the statement in a briefing on Wednesday, a day after he announced that Ukraine had captured two Chinese soldiers fighting for Russia in Donetsk Oblast.

Zelenskyy said the fighters were recruited through social media ads posted on Chinese platforms. They traveled to Russia, went through medical checks, then received military training before being sent to fight in Ukraine.

“These are Chinese citizens using weapons against Ukrainians,” Zelenskyy said. “Their motivation—whether money or something else—is not yet known.”

The documents Zelenskyy shared with the media contain the names, passport numbers, and other personal details of the alleged Chinese fighters. Some records also include photos and information about their service in Russian units. Most of the contracts were signed in 2024.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine is ready to exchange the two captured Chinese men—Wang Guangjun, born in 1991, and Zhang Renbo, born in 1998—for Ukrainian prisoners of war. He claimed that officials in Beijing were aware of Russia’s efforts to recruit Chinese mercenaries. 

China’s foreign ministry denied any involvement and called Ukraine’s accusation “totally unfounded.” 

“It is important to emphasize that the Chinese government has always instructed its citizens to stay away from areas of armed conflict and avoid getting involved in the conflict in any form, especially avoiding participation in any party’s military operations,” spokesperson Lin Jian said in a press conference.

Russia declined to comment on allegations that Chinese nationals have been fighting alongside its forces in Ukraine.

Since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has supplemented its military efforts with foreign troops and weaponry. Last fall, North Korea reportedly deployed around 12,000 soldiers to Russia’s Kursk region.