China secretly provided military training to Russian troops last year amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, according to a Reuters report citing leaked Russian documents and European officials.
The report said the training was approved by Russian Defence Minister and involved at least four senior military generals from both and .
According to the classified documents reviewed by Reuters, a Russian armed forces delegation visited facilities of China’s in August 2025 as part of the arrangement. The training program reportedly took place over three weeks in November at a military installation in Beijing.
The exercises focused on radiation, chemical and biological (RCB) protection systems. Reports also showed Russian soldiers receiving lessons from Chinese instructors, inspecting a model nuclear reactor, and learning methods of chemical surveillance, radiation monitoring, and contamination-resistant ventilation systems.
Neither the Russian nor Chinese defence ministries responded to requests for comment. However, China’s foreign ministry dismissed the allegations as “groundless” and said its position on the Ukraine conflict remains unchanged.
Reuters had earlier reported that nearly 200 Russian troops were trained by China in November last year, with some of them later deployed in the Ukraine battlefield.
The leaked documents also revealed that the training framework was formalized through an agreement signed on July 2 by Russian Major General and Chinese Senior Colonel .
Another document listed the officers involved, including Russian Ground Forces Deputy Commander Colonel General , who reportedly led the Russian delegation.
The revelations may further intensify Western concerns over growing military cooperation between Moscow and Beijing as the Ukraine war continues.
