EU Says It Has Proof China Trained Russian Soldiers for War in Ukraine

The EU has confirmed that Chinese facilities trained Russian soldiers who later fought in Ukraine, a senior EU official said, potentially adding a new source of tension to relations between Brussels and Beijing.

The official said in a comment to Suspilne media, EU intelligence services had verified that military training took place at several locations in China and involved hundreds of individuals.

“Our services have confirmed that such training took place in several locations on Chinese territory,” the official said. “We are talking about hundreds of people, but this contradicts what Chinese counterparts have told us so far.”

According to the official, the training was specifically aimed at preparing soldiers, some of whom later appeared on the battlefield in Ukraine.

“It is concrete training of soldiers, some of whom subsequently ended up in the war or on the front line,” the official said.

The disclosure could complicate Beijing’s efforts to present itself as neutral in Russia’s war against Ukraine. China has repeatedly described the conflict as a “crisis,” avoided imposing sanctions on Moscow and maintained close economic ties with Russia while publicly denying direct military involvement.

The issue is expected to feature in discussions among EU foreign ministers during a meeting in Luxembourg on Monday, where relations with China will be high on the agenda.

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A senior EU official said ministers would focus on foreign and security policy issues, including Europe’s dependence on Chinese suppliers and the implications for the continent’s defense industry.

The official added that ministers are also expected to discuss the bloc’s collective interests in the event of a potential crisis in the Indo-Pacific region.

The comments come after Reuters reported, citing sources, that China’s military secretly trained about 200 Russian servicemen inside China in late 2025, with some later returning to fight in Ukraine.

China and Russia have expanded military cooperation since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, including a series of joint military exercises. Beijing, however, continues to reject accusations that it has provided direct military support for Russia’s war effort.