On Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelensky made strong accusations against Russia, claiming that Moscow was actively involving China in the ongoing war in Ukraine. He stated that Chinese authorities were aware that dozens of their citizens were being recruited by Russia to fight in the conflict. Zelensky's comments come amidst increasing global scrutiny of Russia's involvement of foreign fighters. China's Alleged Role in the Conflict Zelensky revealed that Ukrainian intelligence had uncovered information regarding over 150 Chinese nationals fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine. This came just a day after Ukraine reported capturing two Chinese citizens in the eastern Donetsk region, who were allegedly fighting for Russia. The Ukrainian president further mentioned that Ukraine was prepared to exchange the captured Chinese fighters for Ukrainian prisoners of war held by Russia. Zelensky condemned the involvement of Chinese citizens, calling it a "deliberate step" to escalate the conflict. "Such an overt involvement of Chinese citizens in combat operations on the territory of Ukraine is a deliberate step towards expanding the war," he said. He emphasized that Moscow's actions were prolonging the conflict. In his remarks, Zelensky compared Russia's recruitment efforts to its earlier involvement of North Korean soldiers, noting that Russia was "dragging other countries into war." He also highlighted the serious nature of China's alleged participation, saying that 155 individuals, with full names and passport details, had been identified fighting against Ukraine. The Ukrainian government claims that they have a list of 168 Chinese nationals, and Zelensky suggested that the true number might be much higher. Reactions and Denials The Chinese government has firmly rejected Zelensky's accusations. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian dismissed the claims, calling them "absolutely groundless." He reiterated China's stance that it has consistently urged its citizens to stay away from conflict zones. Beijing has also stated it is verifying the information regarding the captured Chinese nationals with Ukrainian authorities. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov refrained from commenting on the issue when questioned by the media. Meanwhile, China continues to present itself as a neutral party in the war, offering no lethal aid to either side, while maintaining a strong political and economic relationship with Russia. In a response to Zelensky's accusations, Lin argued that China's position on the Ukraine crisis was clear and widely supported by the international community. He also urged Ukraine to acknowledge China's constructive role in advocating for a peaceful political solution to the crisis. Despite these denials, Zelensky mentioned that the United States had expressed concern over China's involvement, calling it "unacceptable." In the context of strengthening US-Ukrainian relations, Zelensky revealed that Ukraine was willing to purchase up to $50 billion in US military equipment to aid in the fight against Russia. ALSO READ: ‘The return of Tahawwur Rana Is A Big Success’: Amit Shah On 26/11 Mastermind’s Extradition