Zelenskyy’s video of alleged Chinese POW fighting for Russia cannot be independently verified

Video described as showing a Chinese national said to be fighting for Russia when he was captured in Ukrainian territory

Apr 09, 2025

CLAIM

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy released a video on Tuesday, April 8, claiming to show one of two Chinese nationals who were captured in Ukrainian territory while fighting for Russia.

BACKGROUND

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy released a video on Tuesday saying that two Chinese nationals who were fighting for the Russian army were captured in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk.

Zelenskyy said the Chinese prisoners were in the custody of Ukraine’s Security Service and that identification documents, bank cards and personal data were found in their possession.

According to Zelenskyy, officials have information suggesting that more Chinese nationals have joined Russian army units fighting in Ukraine amid an ongoing investigation.

It was not clear if Kyiv believed the men were acting on the Chinese government’s orders or had independently signed up.

“Russia’s involvement of China, along with other countries, whether directly or indirectly, in this war in Europe is a clear signal that Putin intends to do anything but end the war. He is looking for ways to continue fighting,” Zelenskyy said in a comment accompanying the video.

Zelenskyy said he instructed Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha to contact Beijing to seek clarification.

The Foreign Ministry said on its social media platforms that it had summoned the Chinese chargé d’affaires to Ukraine “to condemn this fact and demand explanations”.

Sybiha said that “Chinese citizens fighting as part of Russia’s invasion army in Ukraine puts into question China’s declared stance for peace and undermines Beijing’s credibility as a responsible permanent member of the UN Security Council.”

The spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Lin Jian, said at a regular press conference on Wednesday that Beijing was verifying the situation with the Ukrainian side.

Lin said the Chinese government had always instructed its citizens to stay away from areas of armed conflict and avoid any involvement in armed conflicts.

In the past, Kyiv said North Korean soldiers were captured while fighting in Russia’s Kursk region against the Ukrainian army after its incursion.

Zelenskyy said at a press conference on Tuesday that North Koreans were fighting in Russia, whereas Chinese nationals were captured during battles on Ukrainian territory.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said at a press briefing on Tuesday that reports of Chinese nationals fighting for Russia in Ukraine were “disturbing”.

“It’s disturbing. It’s disturbing with North Korea participating. It’s disturbing with the Chinese soldiers having been captured. We’re aware of those reports, that Ukraine captured two Chinese citizens fighting on behalf of Russia in Ukraine”, Bruce said.

The U.S. administration has claimed progress in efforts to end the war three years after Russia’s full-scale invasion amid recently intensified strikes on Ukraine.

METHOD

Zelenskyy shared the video on his social media platforms on Tuesday, describing it as showing one of the Chinese nationals who was fighting with Russian soldiers and was captured in the Donetsk region.

The man, with his hands tied up, was wearing an unmarked combat uniform and sitting in a room against a black backdrop.

In the background, a wooden floor and a person’s arm are partially visible, but there are no discernible elements in the footage that could indicate the man’s identity, the location, or the date of filming.

According to an automated translation tool, the man is speaking Chinese, seemingly describing military orders.

He refers to a “commander” in English and makes movements and noises that appear to allude to explosions. The voice of another person is audible in the background.

There are not enough elements to verify this video.

Furthermore, the sharing of the clip may represent a violation of the Geneva Conventions, which requires that prisoners of war be protected against exposure to public curiosity. This prohibits the sharing of images of prisoners of war or the publication of any other private or identifying material.

RATING

It was not possible to independently verify the video released by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, described as showing a Chinese national said to be fighting for Russia when he was captured in Ukrainian territory.

SOURCES

X (formerly Twitter). (2025). Available at: Volodymyr Zelenskyy [Accessed 9 April 2025].

Telegram (2025). Available at: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine [Accessed 9 April 2025].

Ministry of Foreign Affairs China (2025). Available at: Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian’s Regular Press Conference on April 9, 2025 [Accessed 9 April 2025].

ESN (2025). Available at: UKRAINE: First North Korean soldiers fighting against Ukrainian forces captured, Zelenskyy confirms

X (formerly Twitter). (2025). Available at: Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha [Accessed 9 April 2025].