MORE than a hundred Chinese soldiers are fighting alongside the Russians after being recruited on TikTok, President Volodymyr Zelensky has claimed.
He said that Kyiv had details of more than 150 Chinese nationals deployed at the frontlines after claiming Ukraine’s army captured two Chinese citizens fighting in the eastern Donetsk region.
A video shared by Zelensky today showed a snippet from interrogations of the two captured Chinese fighters.
The clip also showed pictures of two Chinese passports – understood to belong to them.
In the short five-minute clip, one of the Chinese fighters, named Zhang Renbo, revealed details about his fight against the Ukrainians.
He said: “It was my first combat experience. I was given an AK-47. Before that I have never had a weapon.”
Zelesnky claimed Russia was seeking to recruit Chinese fighters by openly advertising on TikTok and other Chinese social networks.
The Ukrainian intelligence released a document containing the alleged names and passport details of 168 Chinese citizens that Kyiv said had been recruited by Russia’s army.
Zelensky said he believed there were “many more” and that further information was being gathered.
“It is clear how they recruit them. One of the schemes is through social media, in particular TikTok and other Chinese social networks, where Russians distribute commercials,” Zelensky said.
He did not accuse Beijing of having directly sent the soldiers, but said Chinese authorities were “aware” they were being recruited.
The president said: “The ‘Chinese’ issue is serious. There are 155 people with names and passport details who are fighting against Ukrainians on the territory of Ukraine.”
“Beijing is aware of this.”
Zelensky had earlier published a video of one of two alleged captured Chinese citizens wearing military fatigues and with their hands tied off.
In the video, the prisoner mimicked combat sounds and uttered several words in Mandarin.
The Ukrainian army said Chinese ID cards and contracts for Russian military service had been found on them.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian had earlier rejected Zelensky’s previous claim that “many” Chinese citizens had been recruited by Russia to fight as “absolutely groundless”.
He said: “The Chinese government has always asked its citizens to stay away from areas of armed conflict [and] avoid involvement in armed conflicts in any form.”
He added that Beijing was verifying relevant information about the captured Chinese citizens with Kyiv.
Zelensky said he had received signals that Washington viewed Chinese nationals fighting for Russia as “unacceptable”.
It comes at a time when both the countries are involved in a brutal tit-for-tat war of trade.
The president added that China’s involvement in the war is a “clear signal” that Putin wants to drag the war.
“He is looking for a way to continue the war. This definitely requires a reaction. A reaction from the United States, Europe, and everyone in the world who wants peace.”
China is one of the biggest allies of Russia and has been accused by the West of helping Vladimir Putin with weapons.
However, Beijing has repeatedly denied the allegations that it has helped the Kremlin fight against the Ukrainians.
Source: https://www.the-sun.com/news/13977182/chinese-recruited-tiktok-putin-ukraine/
