Exclusive: About 200 Russian Troops Secretly Trained in China — Some Returned to Fight in Ukraine

Three European intelligence agencies and documents reviewed by Reuters say roughly 200 Russian military personnel received covert training in China late last year — much of it focused on drone operations, electronic warfare and explosives handling — and some of those trainees have since been deployed to fight in Ukraine.

What The Documents Say

The training was outlined in a bilingual Russian–Chinese protocol signed by senior officers in Beijing on July 2, 2025. According to the document, about 200 Russian troops would be trained at PLA facilities in locations including Beijing and Nanjing; sources told Reuters a similar number did attend sessions in China. The agreement also envisaged hundreds of Chinese personnel training in Russia and included strict confidentiality provisions barring media coverage and notifying third parties.

Official Responses And Context

The Russian and Chinese defence ministries did not respond to requests for comment on the specifics. China's foreign ministry told Reuters: "On the Ukraine crisis, China has consistently maintained an objective and impartial stance and worked to promote peace talks, this is consistent and clear and is witnessed by the international community. Relevant parties should not deliberately stoke confrontation or shift blame." The intelligence agencies spoke on condition of anonymity because the information is sensitive.

Training Content And Locations

Internal Russian military reports reviewed by Reuters describe several specific courses held in China:

• A combined-arms course in Shijiazhuang in December 2025 for about 50 Russian personnel that included firing 82mm mortars with targets identified by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
• An air-defence course at a facility identified by officials as in Zhengzhou covering electronic-warfare rifles, net-launching devices and counter-drone tactics.
• Drone training at the PLA Training Centre for Military Aviation in Yibin that emphasized multimedia instruction and flight simulators for FPV and other drone types.
• An explosives, mine-construction and demining course at Nanjing University of Military Engineering, illustrated by photographs of Russian soldiers being taught by Chinese instructors.

Courses reportedly covered drones, electronic warfare, army aviation and armoured infantry. Officials noted that while Russian forces bring frontline combat experience from Ukraine, China offers a large drone industry, technical know-how and advanced training tools such as flight simulators.

Operational Impact

Two intelligence agencies said a significant share of the trainees were senior instructors or officers capable of passing techniques down the chain of command. One agency confirmed the identities of a handful of Russian servicemen who trained in China and were later involved in drone operations in occupied Crimea and Zaporizhzhia; reported ranks ranged from junior sergeant to lieutenant colonel. Reuters could not independently verify the deployment of every named individual, but the same agency assessed it is highly probable that many trainees returned to Ukraine.

Why It Matters

European governments are monitoring the deepening military ties between Moscow and Beijing. By training Russian personnel at operational and tactical levels who then rejoin combat operations, China’s role — according to one intelligence official — appears more directly connected to the fighting in Europe than previously understood. The developments come as Chinese leader Xi Jinping prepares to host Russian President Vladimir Putin, underlining heightened strategic engagement between the two countries since the 2022 invasion.

Note: Reuters reported on the basis of intelligence agency assessments and internal Russian military documents. Some specific individual deployments could not be independently verified.