Zelensky accuses Putin of recruiting Chinese soldiers

Beijing hits back at 'irresponsible remarks' after Ukraine president refers to Russia's 'systematic efforts' in China

- ALEX CROFT

Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of systematically recruiting people from China to fight its deadly war in Ukraine, deepening the row over Chinese fighters.

Two Chinese citizens were caught among Russia’s ranks in Ukraine’s war-torn Donetsk region, Mr Zelensky announced on Tuesday, before claiming that there are more than 150 Chinese fighters currently among Russia’s ranks.

The allegations have prompted a furious response from Beijing, which yesterday warned Kyiv and its allies not to make “irresponsible remarks” after previously decrying what it described as Mr Zelensky’s “baseless” claims that there were more fighters.

In a post on social media yesterday Mr Zelensky said of the captured men: “It is crystal clear that these are not isolated cases, but rather systematic Russian efforts, in particular on the territory and within the jurisdiction of China, to recruit citizens of that country for the war.”

Alongside a video of an interrogation with one of them, Mr Zelensky added that “everything necessary must be done to ensure that Russia has no such and similar opportunities to prolong and expand the war”.