Over 550 Chinese Troops Trained in Russia Under Bilateral Military Internships, Ukraine Says

More than 550 Chinese soldiers took part in internships at Russian military institutions under bilateral training programs, Ukraine’s Military Intelligence (HUR) told Kyiv Post on Wednesday.

The intelligence agency also said that more than 180 Russian troops underwent similar programs in China during November 2025 alone.

Responding to Kyiv Post’s June inquiry about Russian troops trained in China, HUR said its assessment confirmed that a “consistent” pattern of bilateral training has developed in recent years.

HUR’s update suggests that bilateral military ties between Beijing and Moscow might be stronger than previously reported. In May, Reuters, citing European intelligence, reported that China trained around 200 Russian troops, some of whom were deployed to Ukraine upon their return.

HUR said the bilateral program takes the form of “mutual internships.”

“As of today, a consistent practice has been formed of conducting mutual internships of cadets, as well as instructor and scientific and pedagogical staff at higher military educational institutions and training centers of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and the People’s Liberation Army of China (PLA),” HUR said.

In one example, over 180 Russian troops were said to have undergone “internships at infantry, armored, engineering, aviation, and military air defense educational institutions” in November 2025.

Other Topics of Interest

Fresh Russian Drone Strike on Kyiv Leaves 3 Dead, 10 Injured

Russian forces launched another daytime drone attack on Kyiv, targeting critical infrastructure.

However, it’s unclear if the program was the one reported by Reuters.

Conversely, more than 550 Chinese troops “underwent internships at higher military educational institutions of the Russian Federation,” HUR added.

Continued Chinese support

Beijing has officially portrayed itself as a neutral party in the war in Ukraine, though critics have also argued that Chinese support via the export of dual-use goods has helped sustain Moscow’s war efforts.

In September 2025, a US-based think tank, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), said Chinese firms have continued to contribute to Russia’s production of long-range drones, with similar findings later echoed in an April 2026 Bloomberg report.

The countries also boasted of bilateral military cooperation. Most recently, the two countries announced a joint naval drill in the Pacific Ocean, dubbed Joint Sea-2026, to be conducted near Qingdao, China.

Amid Beijing’s sustained ties with Moscow, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre argued that Beijing should leverage its ties with the Kremlin to pressure it into a negotiated settlement with Ukraine.

He also warned that Europe-China cooperation will remain limited as long as Russia’s war continues and Beijing stays closely aligned with Moscow.