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Russia Plans to Teach China How to Beat US and NATO Weapons: Ukraine Intel
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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Russia plans to train hundreds of Chinese military personnel this year on lessons learned from its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, the Kyiv Post reported.
Instructors will cover methods for countering weapons systems used by Ukrainian forces that were produced by the United States and its NATO allies, a source in Ukraine's top intelligence agency told the outlet.
Newsweek reached out to the Russian and Chinese foreign ministries via email for comment outside of office hours.
Why It Matters
This training would further strengthen security ties between Russia and its "no limits" ally China, which in recent years has stepped up joint military exercises. Battlefield insights into U.S. weaponry could offer an advantage as China seeks to surpass the U.S. as the leading military power in the Indo-Pacific.
Security analysts say China has closely studied the war—and the world's response—and could apply these lessons in an invasion of Taiwan, the island democracy Beijing has vowed to unify with, through force if necessary.
An advertisement with a picture of a Russian Senior Sergeant Sergey Magarychev, who is fighting in Ukraine, is displayed at a bus stop in Moscow on June 16, 2025.
An advertisement with a picture of a Russian Senior Sergeant Sergey Magarychev, who is fighting in Ukraine, is displayed at a bus stop in Moscow on June 16, 2025.
Getty Images
What To Know
"The Kremlin has decided to allow Chinese military personnel to study and adopt the combat experience Russia has gained in its war against Ukraine," a source from Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Directorate told the Kyiv Post.
Of the 600 People's Liberation Army personnel set to train at Russian military centers and bases, special focus will be given to air defense specialists, engineers, and artillery and tank operators, the report said.
Though Beijing presents itself as neutral, NATO leaders have called China a "decisive enabler" of Moscow, citing the flow of Chinese exports and economic support that have sustained the 40-month war.
The European Union has sanctioned several Chinese companies for supplying key components to Russian drone manufacturers. Beijing denies providing weapons to either side and insists it tightly controls exports of goods with military applications.
Despite U.S. President Donald Trump's efforts to end the war and Ukraine's agreement to a full, unconditional ceasefire over 100 days ago, Russia has continued heavy attacks, including airstrikes on Kyiv on Monday.
What People Are Saying
Alina Hrytsenko, an international relations specialist who worked at Ukraine's defense ministry, and Andras Racs, a senior research fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations, wrote for the Center for European Policy Analysis: "China still needs Russia as a source of advanced military technology in specific sectors, particularly for missiles, submarines, and electronic warfare, even though China will soon develop beyond Russia in these fields.
"Military exercises at various command levels are also highly likely to continue, as the People's Liberation Army is eager to learn from Russia's combat experience gained in Ukraine and other recent battlefields."
What Happens Next
Moscow has ruled out a pause unless its conditions are met. "We have a strategic advantage now. Why should we lose it? We're not going to lose it. We're moving forward," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Sky News.
Trump has so far resisted European calls for additional sanctions on Russia, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio telling Politico on Wednesday that the administration fears committing to sanctions would limit its negotiating leverage.
