A senior European Union official said on Friday that China had trained Russian troops who ended up fighting in Ukraine, backing media reports citing European intelligence agencies.
“The Chinese training of Russian soldiers has been confirmed by our services,” said the senior EU official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The official said the training was taking place at several locations in China and that “hundreds” of troops were involved.
“China has been training Russian soldiers, some of whom have also been deployed to fight directly against Ukraine,” the official said.
Several media outlets reported last month that European intelligence agencies believed China had trained Russian troops sent to Ukraine.
German newspaper Die Welt cited classified documents that said the training focused mainly on the use of drones and electronic countermeasures, with much of it ending up in Ukraine.
China has claimed neutrality since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but the drill claims fuel suspicions that Beijing has provided more support to its Russian allies than has been publicly disclosed.
Ties between China and Russia have strengthened since the Kremlin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with Beijing refusing to condemn Moscow’s war.
The EU has sanctioned many Chinese companies for allegedly supplying material to the Russian army.
EU ministers and leaders will debate the bloc’s relationship with China at meetings next week.
