PUTIN has stayed deafeningly silent after Kyiv claimed that two Chinese nationals were captured fighting in Ukraine.
Beijing responded to Zelensky’s call for answers and vowed to investigate the alleged reports of Chinese involvement in the conflict.
One of the two Chinese nationals allegedly arrested in Ukraine on Tuesday[/caption]
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to comment on the alleged capture of Chinese citizens[/caption]
Russia has chosen to stay silent on the matter, sparking fresh fears that Putin has been working with China all along.
Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said: “I cannot comment on this information in any way.”
Zelensky demanded an official response from Beijing after claiming that Kyiv captured two Chinese nationals fighting in the Donetsk region of Ukraine.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian was quick to respond and said that China was verifying the reports with Ukraine.
But Jian insisted the claims have “no basis” and added that the Chinese government requires its citizens to avoid any involvement in armed conflicts.
China is one of the biggest allies of Russia and has repeatedly been accused by the West of helping Vladimir Putin with weapons.
Beijing has denied the allegations that it has helped the Kremlin fight against the Ukrainians.
But if the Chinese troops are found to be serving members of the Chinese national army, it could result in a major war escalation.
Zelensky said that China’s involvement is a “clear signal” that Putin wants to drag the war and urged its Western allies to react.
The president said: “Russia’s involvement, directly or indirectly, of China in this war in Europe is a clear signal that Putin is going to do anything but end 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.”
Zelensky claimed that Kyiv found six Chinese nationals and captured two fighting alongside Russians in Ukraine on Tuesday.
The Ukrainian President said: “Our military captured two Chinese citizens who fought in the Russian army. This happened on the territory of Ukraine – in the Donetsk region.
“There are documents of these prisoners, bank cards, personal data.
“We have information that there are significantly more such Chinese citizens in the units of the occupier than two.”
But military analyst Michael Clarke warned that these reports may be “the tip of the iceberg”.
Clarke said that the reported arrest of two Chinese soldiers could be “very serious indeed” as it may mean that China is backing Russia militarily.
He added that if Chinese soldiers are operating on state orders it would cross “quite a big legal line”.
And shocking new evidence suggests that Clarke might be right.
Last month, a video emerged on social media claiming to show Chinese mercenaries fighting for Russia in Ukraine.
In the unverified clip, allegedly shot in Selydove near Pokrovsk, East Asian troops graffiti the inside walls of a damaged house with what looks like Chinese characters.
The soldiers have equipment and clothing consistent with what regular Russian troops have been seen wearing in recent months.
A patch on one soldier’s right shoulder reads BARS, the acronym for Russia’s army reserve.
BARS has become a network of irregular units since the February 2022 invasion.
And that’s not all – there has been a frightening surge in Chinese “celebrity soldiers”.
The self-proclaimed soldier influencers post videos where they appear to be fighting alongside Russians on the battlefield in Ukraine.
Captain Li is one of the most well-known of these with an impressive following on 290,000 on China’s version of TikTok Douyin.
Other prominent accounts include Wolf Blood Dragon Soul, Li Dafu and Pan Lin.
Soldiers from various countries have so far taken part in the Russia-Ukraine war – and this does not necessarily mean an official intervention by their home countries.
Thousands of troops from North Korea also joined the war to support Russia against Ukraine.
Ukraine captured two North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region back in January.
Zelensky has claimed that two Chinese soldiers were arrested in Ukraine on Tuesday[/caption]