How China is Aiding Russia’s War Against Ukraine?
Ukraine has accused China of supporting Russia’s full-scale invasion with military supplies and personnel, The Gaze reports, citing The Telegraph.
Speaking to the media, President Volodymyr Zelensky said, “I think we will be able to say in detail next week that we believe that Chinese representatives are engaged in the production of some weapons on the territory of Russia.”
This follows the capture of two Chinese nationals fighting for Russia. “We are collecting information, we believe that there are many more,” Zelensky added, noting he has the data of 163 other Chinese believed to be serving with Russian forces.
On the battlefield, Ukrainian special forces operating near Kreminna in Russian-occupied Luhansk found Chinese-manufactured 60mm ammunition. Sergeant Zhakhar, who recovered the rounds, confirmed, “Moscow doesn’t manufacture [these]. China does.”
Beijing has long denied sending lethal aid to Russia, but U.S. intelligence leaks and trade data suggest otherwise. According to the U.S. State Department, China now provides nearly 80% of the dual-use goods Russia relies on to sustain its military campaign, including microchips, ball bearings, radar systems, GPS units, and optical components.
One key component supporting Russia’s war is nitrocellulose, a flammable chemical essential for artillery shells. Despite sanctions, Russia’s imports of the material surged by 70% in 2022 and nearly doubled again in 2023. The Kremlin often disguises these shipments as civilian imports for the ink and paint industries. Western sanctions only formally listed nitrocellulose in late 2023, and China remains a primary supplier.
Amid shifting U.S. politics, Kyiv hopes growing evidence of Chinese involvement could help bolster American support by tying Ukraine’s fight more closely to Washington’s strategic rivalry with Beijing.
As The Gaze previously reported, Zelenskyy claimed on Tuesday that Chinese citizens are working at a drone production facility in Russia, adding that Moscow may have “stolen” drone technology from China without Beijing’s knowledge.
Read more on The Gaze: China’s Support for Russia Raises Concerns Over the Russian-Ukrainian War