China Secretly Trained 200 Russian Troops for Ukraine Combat Under 2025 Pact
Updated
Updated · UNITED24 Media · May 19
China Secretly Trained 200 Russian Troops for Ukraine Combat Under 2025 Pact
17 articles · Updated · UNITED24 Media · May 19
European intelligence services said about 200 Russian servicemen trained in China late last year, and some later fought drone-related operations in occupied Crimea and Russia-held parts of Zaporizhzhia.
A July 2, 2025 agreement between senior Russian and Chinese officers reportedly set up the program in Beijing and Nanjing, with secrecy clauses barring media coverage and third-party disclosure.
The instruction covered drone warfare, electronic warfare, army aviation and mechanized infantry, while Chinese drone makers and defense firms allegedly provided advanced technology and flight simulators.
Many of the Russian participants were senior instructors, intelligence officials said, raising the likelihood that tactics learned in China spread through wider Russian command structures.
The training marks a new level of Beijing-Moscow military cooperation, going beyond earlier delegation visits and deepening China's apparent link to Russia's war despite its neutrality claims.
What advanced Chinese battlefield technologies are now being secretly deployed by Russian forces against Ukraine?
With its secret military training for Russia exposed, can China still credibly position itself as a global peacemaker?
Is the China-Russia 'no limits' partnership evolving into a covert military alliance that could reshape global warfare?
200 Russian Soldiers Trained by China in 2025: How Covert Military Cooperation Is Shaping the Ukraine War and Global Order
Overview
In late 2025, China secretly trained about 200 Russian military personnel, marking a new level of military cooperation between the two countries. The training took place at the Nanjing University of Military Engineering, where Russian soldiers learned about explosives, mine construction, and demining. Photographs showed Russian troops receiving hands-on instruction from Chinese instructors, including practical exercises with engineering equipment and mine sweeping. At the same time, air defense training in Zhengzhou focused on countering drones using advanced electronic warfare tools. This covert program highlights China's direct role in strengthening Russia's military capabilities.