At the end of last year, the Chinese armed forces secretly trained about 200 Russian servicemen in China, and some of them have since returned to fight in Ukraine, according to three European intelligence agencies and documents seen by Reuters, BTA reports.
Although China and Russia have held a number of joint military exercises since Moscow began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Beijing has repeatedly said it is neutral in the conflict and presents itself as a broker for peace, Reuters reports.
The secret training, which focused mainly on the use of drones, was described in a bilingual Russian-Chinese agreement signed by senior Russian and Chinese officers in Beijing on 2 July 2025. The agreement, reviewed by Reuters, states that about 200 Russian soldiers will be trained at military facilities in places such as Beijing and the eastern city of Nanjing.
The agreement also states that hundreds of Chinese soldiers will receive training at military facilities in Russia.
By training Russian military personnel at the operational and tactical levels who then participate in Ukraine, China is much more directly involved in the conflict on the European continent than previously known, an intelligence official said.
The defense ministries of Russia and China did not respond to requests for comment on the details described in this report, Reuters noted.
"Regarding the crisis in Ukraine, China has consistently maintained an objective and impartial position and worked to promote peace talks, which has been clearly acknowledged by the international community," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement to Reuters. "The parties involved should not deliberately incite confrontation or shift blame," he added.
The intelligence agencies spoke on condition of anonymity because the information was sensitive.
European powers, which view Russia as a serious security threat, have been watching with suspicion the increasingly close ties between Russia and China, the world's second-largest economy and a major trading partner of the European Union, Reuters reported.
As the West has sought to isolate Russia, China has provided it with an escape route by buying its oil, gas and coal.
Internal Russian military reports reviewed by Reuters describe four of the training sessions for Russian troops in China after they took place.
A December 2025 report described a combined-warfare training course for about 50 Russian servicemen at the Sinai Army Academy branch in Zhijiazhuang.
The report said the course included training soldiers in firing 82mm mortars, using unmanned aerial vehicles to identify targets.
A second report described air defense training at a military facility, including electronic warfare rifles, net-throwing devices and drones to counter approaching drones. Two officials said the facility was in Zhengzhou.
All of this equipment is relevant to the war in Ukraine, Reuters reported.