Wang Guanjung and Zhang Renbo tell reporters in Ukraine they were ‘fed lies’ while fighting for Moscow
14 April 2025
Two Chinese citizens captured fighting against Ukraine said they were “fed lies” by Russia and that Vladimir Putin’s forces were not as strong as they claimed.
Wang Guanjung and Zhang Renbo were captured fighting for Russia in eastern Ukraine earlier this month.
Handcuffed and wearing military fatigues at a briefing organised by Ukrinform, the Ukrainian national news agency, the pair said: “All Russia fed us are lies. They’re fake. Russia isn’t as strong as they claim, and Ukraine isn’t as backward as they say.”
President Zelensky initially demanded that Beijing explain why Chinese soldiers, as he referred to them, were fighting for Russia.
The pair stressed, however, that they were not fighting on behalf of China and had no links to Chinese state authorities. Instead, they were recruited as mercenaries through online advertisements, they said.
Mr Wang said he was recruited through a TikTok advert. He told reporters he then travelled via coaches and minibuses to Kazan in south-west Russia, before moving through Rostov-on-Don before entering eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region, where he enlisted in the army with Mr Zhang.
Mr Zhang told reporters he was in Russia as a tourist when he spotted an advert with the offer of two million roubles (£18,400) and decided to enlist.
The pair were both captured in Donetsk, with footage of their detention released on April 8.
Both prisoners said they were taken captive immediately after arriving on the front line and had not killed any Ukrainian troops.
Mr Zelensky said last week that there were at least 155 Chinese nationals fighting for Russia in the war, a claim Beijing has dismissed as “irresponsible”.
China denies significant numbers of its citizens are serving in the Russian armed forces, saying it advises nationals to “avoid participating in military operations of any party” and is a “staunch supporter” of peace in Ukraine.
The only example so far of a foreign country deploying soldiers to help Russia in its war effort is North Korea. However, those troops have not been allowed to fight inside Ukrainian territory.
Asked about conditions inside the Russian camps, the Chinese prisoners described a lack of water and electricity.
Mr Wang recalled an instance when they worked until the early hours of the morning, only to be given “a pinch of raw rice”.
His account is consistent with reported accounts from North Korean soldiers, who have complained of a lack of food in the Russian army.
Both told reporters that they were expecting to face punishment on their return to China, but said this had not dissuaded them from wanting to go home.
“I understand that punishment is possible and I am prepared for it, because it’s clear that for participating in war and such actions, there can be consequences. Still, I want to return home to my family,” Mr Wang said.
“For those Chinese compatriots who wish to join the war against Ukraine, I just want to say…don’t join this war,” he added.
The Ukrainian security service said both men had undergone initial interrogations and were being held as prisoners of war in Kyiv.
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Readers react to Chinese soldiers found in Ukraine:
Jack PQ
“The war is escalating very quickly. If people don’t think a massive axis between Russia, China and North Korea is forming, all of whom have territorial ambitions, they need to wake up”
Charlie Wimbledon
“China has designed and is supplying all of Russia’s attack drone fibre optic spools. These are being used to invade a sovereign European country.”
Justin Lee
“Time for the West to start putting boots on the ground. Clearly Putin is trying to escalate it.”
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Meanwhile, Donald Trump took a fresh swipe at Mr Zelensky during a meeting with reporters in the Oval Office.
On Monday, the US president claimed that his Ukrainian counterpart had “allowed” the war with Russia to begin, before questioning his competence and insisting Putin would never have invaded under his leadership.
“The mistake was letting the war happen. If Biden were competent, and if Zelensky were competent, and I don’t know that he is …he just kept asking for more and more, that war should have never been allowed to happen,” he said.
“You take a look at Putin. I’m not saying anybody’s an angel. But I will tell you I went four years and it wasn’t even a question [he would invade Ukraine], he would never.”
Questioned on whether he would accept an offer made by Mr Zelensky to buy 10 US-made Patriot air defence missile systems for $15 billion (£11.34 billion), he answered: “When you start a war, you’ve got to know that you can win the war, right?”
“Questioned on whether he would accept an offer made by Mr Zelensky to buy 10 US-made Patriot air defence missile systems for $15 billion (£11.34 billion), he answered: “When you start a war, you’ve got to know that you can win the war, right?”
Of all the foul, evil, disgusting lies this turd has uttered about Ukraine, this has to be one of the lowest of the low.
From that we can conclude that not only is he going to refuse Zel, but Ukraine is going to get nothing from him.
Except his vile insults.
Trump represents everything that’s wrong with humanity. There are no positive aspects in the fat idiot.
“All Russia fed us are lies. They’re fake. Russia isn’t as strong as they claim, and Ukraine isn’t as backward as they say.”
This has been known to anyone wanting to know and smart enough to know; the ruskies are pathological liars and the entire crap hole is a Potemkin Village. The only ones who don’t know this are Trumpov and his ding-dong administration.