EU says it has evidence 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 the Suspilne media outlet that EU intelligence services had verified that military training took place in several locations in China and was attended by hundreds of individuals.

"Our services have confirmed that such training has taken place in several places on Chinese territory," the official said. "We are talking about hundreds of people, but this contradicts what our Chinese counterparts have told us so far."

According to the official, the exercise 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 later ended up in war or on the front lines," the official said.

The revelation could complicate Beijing's efforts to portray 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 be included in discussions among EU foreign ministers during a meeting in Luxembourg on Monday, where relations with China will be at the top of the agenda.

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 the 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 the Chinese military secretly trained around 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. However, Beijing continues to deny accusations that it has provided direct military support for Russia's war effort.

The GeoPost