Ukraine releases striking footage of alleged captured Chinese soldiers who claim Russia dropped poison gas after they surrendered

Incredible new footage of purported captured Chinese soldiers revealing bombshell details from the front line has provided “blatant” proof of Russia’s escalation in Ukraine.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky claims at least 155 Chinese nationals are fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, releasing new footage of two men, who themselves claimed to be Chinese, captured in Donetsk Oblast on Thursday.

The revealing video shows the men being interrogated in a room with a Ukrainian flag as a backdrop. The first man, Zhang Renbo, revealed he was an inexperienced soldier who was on his first deployment.

“I am a Chinese citizen from Jiangxi Province. I am currently being held by Ukraine as a prisoner of war,” he said.

When asked if he participated in direct combat against the Ukrainian armed forces, Mr Renbo deflected but revealed he had never held a gun before arriving in Ukraine.

“It was my first deployment, my first combat mission, prior to that I had never participated in combat operations. Before I got there, I had never held a weapon.”

The second prisoner, 34-year-old Wang Guangjun from Zhengzhou City, said he “surrendered in a group of three” including his deputy commander and another Russian soldier.

“They found him somewhere along the way since everyone was scattering chaotically. They lost two other Chinese somewhere,” the interpreter translated.
Mr Guangjun said Ukrainians ended up “saving his life”, claiming that when they had surrendered Russians “dropped some kind of explosive gas on them”. He was in a shelter inhaling the gas and “thought he was going to die”, but a Ukrainian serviceman rushed in and dragged him out by the scruff of his neck.

After that, Mr Guangjun lost consciousness and eventually found himself plastered across the global press.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukrainian troops had captured two Chinese citizens fighting alongside Russian forces, adding that Kyiv would demand an explanation from Beijing and a reaction from its allies. Source: Volodymyr Zelensky/X

Zelensky has warned the use of Chinese troops is “blatant” proof Vladimir Putin wants to escalate the conflict. Russia has already utilised some 12,000 North Korean troops as part of its alliance with the hermit state. But this is the first time Chinese nationals have been captured fighting on Ukrainian soil.

“Ukraine believes that such blatant involvement of Chinese citizens in hostilities on the territory of Ukraine during the war of aggression is a deliberate step towards the expansion of the war, and is yet another indication that Moscow simply needs to drag out the fighting,” Zelensky wrote.

“Russia doesn’t care who dies in this insane war, they only need the war to continue.

“We all need — all partners, all fair-minded participants in international relations — to deprive Russia of the ability to continue the war, including through the use of people like these.”

An alleged soldier presented as North Korean detained by Ukrainian authorities at an undisclosed location in Ukraine, following his capture by the Ukrainian army. Ukraine said on January 11, 2025 that investigators were questioning two wounded North Korean soldiers after they were captured in Russia's Kursk region, saying they provided ‘indisputable evidence’ that North Koreans were fighting for Moscow. (Photo by Handout / Telegram/V_Zelenskiy_official / AFP)

Zelensky said Ukrainian officials had found passport information of the men captured and were now working through the facts.

“We are collecting information, we believe that there are many more,” Zelensky told reporters, revealing that Ukrainian intelligence had obtained detailed personal data on those identified.

According to the documents, the Chinese nationals are integrated into units such as Russia’s 70th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade and the 255th Rifle Division.

Additional materials reviewed by The Kyiv Independent include photographs and personal data of 13 Chinese nationals undergoing military selection for service in Russia as recently as April 2.

Zelensky has warned the use of Chinese troops is ‘blatant’ proof Vladimir Putin wants to escalate the conflict. (Photo by Roman PILIPEY / AFP)

The president said two Chinese soldiers were taken captive by Ukrainian forces after a clash in eastern Donetsk Oblast.

One of the captured men told Ukraine’s Luhansk military press unit that he had paid 300,000 roubles — approximately AU$5,652 — to a middleman in China for recruitment into the Russian army in exchange for the promise of Russian citizenship.

“Beijing knows about this. Russians distribute advertising videos about recruitment through Chinese social networks,” Zelensky said.

He has directed Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha to raise the issue formally with China, and Ukraine has summoned China’s representative in Kyiv to demand an explanation.

“We record that these are Chinese citizens, they are fighting against us, using weapons against Ukrainians on the territory of Ukraine,” Zelensky said.

China’s government, which prohibits its citizens from participating in foreign military operations, responded by saying it was “verifying” the reports.

Two North Korean soldiers were captured in January, while Ukrainian authorities estimate up to 4,000 casualties among the units provided by Kim Jong-un.

Meanwhile, the US State Department has described the latest development as “disturbing.”

“We’re aware of those reports,” spokesperson Tammy Bruce said on April 8, adding that Washington is monitoring the situation closely.

Zelensky framed the incident as further evidence that Moscow continues to draw operational and material support from nations such as China, Iran and North Korea — which has undermined claims that Russia is genuinely pursuing peace.

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Originally published as Ukraine releases striking footage of alleged captured Chinese soldiers who claim Russia dropped poison gas after they surrendered