DNA

BERLIN: European intelligence agencies believe the Chinese military has trained hundreds of Russian soldiers for fighting in Ukraine, according to Germany’s Die Welt newspaper which cited secret documents it had seen.

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) reportedly hosted covert training for several hundred Russian soldiers late last year at six military bases in China, the newspaper reported on Wednesday, citing the classified documents.

The training, according to the report, focused primarily on the deployment of drones and electronic countermeasures, with many of the Russians sent to fight in Ukraine soon after, including with Russia’s elite “Rubicon” frontline drone unit.

AFP could not independently verify the newspaper report.

China has claimed neutrality in the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, but the Die Welt report would bolster suspicions that Beijing has offered more support to its Russian allies than publicly disclosed.

Chinese troops have also reportedly received secret training in Russia.

Die Welt reported that European intelligence sources believe that roughly 600 PLA soldiers spent time at Russian military bases last year learning about armored combat, artillery deployment and air defenses.