Chinese soldiers fighting in the Russian army?
The Ukrainian army has captured two Chinese soldiers in the Donetsk region. Kyiv also claims to have information that at least 155 other Chinese nationals are fighting in the Russian army. Beijing has dismissed the reports as unfounded. There are indications that those arrested volunteered in Russia of their own accord. Commentators nevertheless see cause for concern.
Feigned neutrality
China's actions contradict its words, former Ukrainian foreign minister Volodymyr Ohryzko writes in NV:
“This just goes to prove once again that China is not our ally. What we're dealing with is a country that pays lip service to peace and resolving the so-called 'Ukraine crisis' without naming the causes of this 'crisis' or calling Russia the aggressor. On the contrary, it says that Russia, like Ukraine, should sit down at the negotiating table and seek compromises. ... This is not the position of a key country and permanent member of the UN Security Council. It is the attitude of a country that supports the aggressor.”
Dialogue with Xi at risk
Writing in Espreso, journalist Vitaly Portnikov doubts whether Kyiv has handled this delicate matter appropriately:
“Zelensky's decision to make public the capture of Chinese citizens by the Ukrainian army undoubtedly puts an end to any dialogue he might have had with the president of the People's Republic of China. Because Xi Jinping will now feel that the Ukrainian president has put him in an awkward position. ... Diplomatic contacts between the Ukrainian and Chinese foreign ministries are also likely to be suspended soon, precisely because Kyiv caught Beijing red-handed and told the whole world about it.”
China keeping Russia afloat
Whether or not Chinese soldiers are fighting for Russia, for the Irish Independent it's clear whose side Beijing is on:
“It has single-handedly kept Vladimir Putin's war machine afloat. ...The two countries share what they have described as a 'no-limits friendship'. ... China is a major supplier of computer numerical control machines, which are key to the production of missiles and other arms manufacturing. It accounts for about 70 percent of the precision machine tools sold to Moscow, essentially keeping Russia's sanction-stricken defence industry afloat. ... China may plead neutrality - but, in the shadows, it is one of the war's most significant participants.”
Perhaps this will make Washington rethink
This news could potentially change the US's plans to withdraw soldiers from Poland, says Postimees:
“If China's involvement is confirmed, it will be clear that the Ukraine war is a global conflict and the US should clearly be concerned. It's well known that the Americans considered the war in Ukraine and their confrontation with China as two separate issues. Now it's possible that these two issues could become conflated and the expected confrontation with China could take place in Eastern Europe rather than over Taiwan, as had been assumed until now. In that case it wouldn't make sense to withdraw troops from Eastern Europe.”