On a makeshift workbench in the cramped front room of a cottage near the frontlines of the Russia-Ukraine war, there are all the trappings of a drone workshop. Pliers and rolls of duct tape line the walls; screwdrivers and piles of wire clutter the table. Two kamikaze drones lean against the wall. Only one item seems out of place in this Ukrainian village house: a pot of Chinese longjing tea, its leaves wilted from repeated refills.
Good tea is one of the many things Tim misses about his life in China. His parents send monthly supplies to Ukraine. “I think about all of it,” the 44-year-old said of his home country. “It brings back memories and emotions.”
Tim, who asked to be referred to by his English name, is the lead volunteer in a Ukrainian military unit that this year launched an unusual project: to recruit soldiers from the country seen as Russia’s biggest backer, China.
Many Ukrainian military units have their own brands and public profiles as they compete for funding and new recruits. But in this case, the commander of the unit, which focuses on reconnaissance, asked that its identity be withheld because of the sensitivity of the Chinese volunteers project.
“It’s for their sake first and foremost,” said the commander, known by the call sign Muse. “For their own safety and that of their families.”
Muse said five Chinese men who had joined his unit had returned to China after completing their training because of pressure from the Chinese authorities. “We’d put our heart and soul into them,” he lamented. He fears that more Chinese soldiers—there are about a dozen in the unit so far—could quit if their identity is revealed. He asked that none of his soldiers’ faces be shown in photographs.
Ukraine’s military is facing an acute manpower shortage. Most of those willing to volunteer to fight have already done so and are exhausted, while some civilian men have gone into hiding to avoid being mobilised. That has turned attention to another pool of potential recruits: foreigners.
There are about 16,000 foreign fighters in Ukraine, making up less than 3% of the armed forces. Before being sacked as defence minister in July, Mykhailo Fedorov passed several reforms designed to make foreign recruitment easier. He predicted that 50% of frontline service members or assault troops could be foreign citizens.
But Chinese volunteers present a unique challenge.
On the one hand, they are uniquely vulnerable to pressure from their own government. The Chinese authorities keep close tabs on their citizens. Chinese law does not specifically forbid citizens from joining foreign armies, but several Chinese volunteers in Ukraine said security services had questioned them or their relatives about their work.
A spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry said it had issued multiple security alerts “to ask Chinese nationals to stay away from areas of armed conflict … and, in particular, avoid participation in any party’s military operations”.
On the other hand, the Chinese soldiers hail from a country that has provided overwhelming support for Russia during the war in Ukraine. Although China claims to be neutral, Beijing has increased trade links with Moscow to record levels since 2022 and provided diplomatic support on numerous occasions. There have also been reports, denied by China, of high-level military cooperation between the two countries.
Some people worry that the Chinese soldiers in Ukraine could provide useful military intelligence to Beijing. An officer from another brigade said he would “think twice” before taking someone from China.
Muse, however, is unbothered. “In this situation, for us commanders, for the Ukrainian peopl”Anyone will do, because there aren’t enough people,” he said.
Tim, one of the Chinese volunteers, at his drone workshop.
He added that the Chinese work hard. Tim’s main job in the unit is repairing drones. In one week, he repaired about 10 Mavics and 15 first-person view (FPV) drones. Impressed, Muse joked that “it is better to have one Chinese person than 10 Ukrainians.”
Chinese volunteers find their way to Muse’s unit through social media and word of mouth. Although Kyiv’s central authorities carry out basic background checks, Muse relies on Tim to do the main screening through a series of interviews.
Tim said the main qualities he looked for were a commitment to Ukraine’s democracy and sovereignty and good communication skills. He added: “I am firmly against accepting anyone who is driven simply by hatred for his own country.” He said he had already rejected more than 30 Chinese applicants since joining the unit in January, and that he also tried to screen out people with criminal records.
But in the murky world of foreign fighters, where people come with stories and claims that are often impossible to verify, dissatisfaction with one’s own country is often a factor.
Vanya, one of the Chinese volunteer soldiers.
Vanya, a 36-year-old from Hubei province in central China, joined the unit over the summer.
Sitting under a trellis of grapevines outside a cottage near the frontlines, with Russian FPV drones lurking, he said life in China had become “suffocating.”
Using a VPN to get past China’s internet censorship firewall, he had read about the war in Ukraine and become familiar with “ideas about democracy and freedom.” That awakening coincided with China’s economic downturn. His income from home renovations fell by as much as 50% in some months.
He had long been interested in the military but was too old to enlist in China. The decision to come to Ukraine “didn’t come out of the blue,” Vanya said. “It was the result of a lot of things building up over time: my weariness with my previous life, my longing for democracy and freedom, and my views on Ukraine.”
Nero, one of the Chinese volunteer soldiers.
Other members of the unit claim a more fervent ideology. Nero, a 37-year-old from Fujian province, spent years posting online in support of Ukraine and became a well-known influencer. Several of his accounts were deleted; Nero believes this was because of his pro-Ukraine views.
He said the backlash he received from suspected Russian spam accounts over his support for Ukraine pushed him toward volunteering.
“I thought: the world shouldn’t be like this. Why should I suffer or go through all this just for speaking the truth?”
His move, which he publicized on social media, led to more harassment. When he arrived in Ukraine, a Russian-language “wanted” poster appeared online with his real name, date of birth, and photo. The poster, which appeared to be fake, accused him of “participating in an armed conflict as a mercenary” and “illegally crossing the state border of the Russian Federation.” Nero suspected it was produced by a Chinese propaganda agency working on behalf of Russia, and denied making it himself, saying that revealing his identity put him in danger.
Until recently a project manager earning a decent salary in China, Nero is now training to be an FPV drone pilot. “I want people to know that not all Chinese people support Russia’s aggression. Many Chinese people, like me, are kind and want to help Ukraine,” Nero said.
L to R: Vasco, Nero, Jinmu, Chinese volunteer soldiers.
All of the volunteers agreed that scrutiny from the Chinese authorities would make it difficult to return home. “If I go back now, it would be hard to leave again,” said Jinmu, a welder by trade, now working as an electrical en[gineer].engineer, specializing in explosives and batteries. Whatever contribution they may ultimately make toward peace or war, as Chinese nationals their decision is likely to have consequences that last beyond the conflict they are now part of. On 23 September, one of their Chinese comrades in the unit was killed in a Russian attack. Upon hearing the news, one volunteer, a doctor, decided to leave. The rest, said Nero, insisted on staying. Additional research by Illia Dyadik, Yu-chen Li and Artem Mazhulin
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs Inside a Ukrainian Military Unit Training Fighters from China
1 What is this unit exactly
Its a Ukrainian military training unit that instructs foreign volunteers including a small number of fighters from China in combat skills weapons handling and battlefield tactics
2 Why would Chinese citizens join Ukraines fight
Motives vary Some say they oppose Russias invasion on principle some are drawn by adventure or ideology and some have military backgrounds and want to use their skills Each case is individual
3 Is this an official Chinese government program
No Theres no evidence Beijing sends fighters China has officially stayed neutral and urges its citizens not to join either side These individuals are volunteers acting on their own
4 How do they communicate if they dont speak Ukrainian or Russian
Through translators English hand signals and translation apps Language is one of the biggest daytoday challenges
5 What does the training cover
Basic infantry skills weapons handling marksmanship first aid trench and urban combat drone awareness and unit discipline Length and depth depend on the unit and the trainees experience
6 Do they fight on the front lines
Some do after training Others serve in support roles It depends on their skills the units needs and their contract terms
7 What are the biggest problems in training foreign fighters
Language barriers different military cultures uneven prior experience and legalvisa issues Trust and coordination take time to build
8 Are there legal risks for the Chinese volunteers
Yes Chinese law restricts citizens from joining foreign armed forces and returning home could mean legal trouble Ukraine also has rules for foreign fighters Its a serious risk
9 How do Ukrainian soldiers view these volunteers
Mixed Many appreciate the help but some are skeptical until the newcomers prove themselves in training and under fire
10 How large is the Chinese contingent
Small likely a handful of individuals at most not a formed unit Reports are limited and often hard to verify
11 What practical tips help a foreign recruit adapt
Learn basic Ukrainian or Russian phrases stay physically fit follow orders without ego and understand the units rules before arriving
12 Where can I find reliable information about this
Treat social media claims with caution Crosscheck with
