Ukraine-Russia war: UK has no evidence of Beijing links to captured troops as Kyiv confronts China
North Korea has already sent troops to help Russian forces – now Zelensky is demanding an explanation from Beijing
UK defence intelligence officials have no evidence Chinese soldiers captured fighting for Putin have links to the Chinese government, it is understood.
Volodymyr Zelensky has alleged that Chinese soldiers have joined Russia’s war effort, two of whom have been taken prisoner by Ukrainian forces.
Kyiv’s forces engaged in battle with six Chinese troops in Donetsk, the Ukrainian president said, adding that Ukraine believes there are “many more Chinese citizens in the occupier's units than just these two”.
Kyiv demanded an explanation from Beijing, summoning China’s charge d'affaires as foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said the development “undermines Beijing's credibility as a responsible permanent member of the UN Security Council”.
But it is understood that UK officials have so far found nothing that links the captured troops to the Chinese government.
It comes months after North Korea first sent troops to assist Vladimir Putin’s war effort in Russia’s Kursk region, where Moscow’s forces have reclaimed large swathes of land from Ukraine.
Russian officials and state media claimed on Tuesday to be close to regaining full control of Kursk after purportedly pushing Ukraine from one of its few remaining footholds in the settlement of Guyevo – although Moscow has frequently made such assertions prematurely.
As Ukraine withdraws from Kursk, Mr Zelensky confirmed for the first time that Ukrainian troops were now operating in Russia’s neighbouring Belgorod region.
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Starmer to take ‘intelligence advice’ after Ukraine says Chinese soldiers captured in Donetsk
Sir Keir Starmer said he would speak to the intelligence agencies and the Kyiv government after Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky said two Chinese citizens had been captured fighting as part of the Russian army.
The prime minister told MPs on the Commons Liaison Committee he wanted to “make sure that we've got to the bottom of what we actually think has happened here” before commenting publicly.
“I will obviously be taking intelligence and security advice on it, we will obviously be talking to the Ukrainians about it,” Sir Keir said.
Belgian PM pledges €1bn new aid package to Ukraine
Belgian prime minister Bart De Wever has announced that his government will grant Ukraine a new bilateral aid package of €1bn in 2025 – and hopes to deliver the war-torn country at least that same amount every year during his term.
During a press conference in Kyiv alongside Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, he also said Belgium would make good on its pledge to deliver all the fighter planes that it had promised Ukraine.
“We will deliver two F-16s for spare parts this year and certainly deliver two fighter planes next year. We hope to do more but we are depending on the delivery of the F-35. There is no delay in Belgium but the F-35 has delays. Once the F-35 arrives, the F-16 leaves, it's a simple as that,” Mr De Wever said.
ICYMI: Former MI6 chief ‘worried’ Trump believes Russia has right to Ukraine due to its size
In conversation with The Independent’s world affairs editor Sam Kiley, former MI6 chief Alex Younger has expressed concern that Donald Trump has “a bias towards the idea that Russia has more rights than Ukraine because it’s a bigger country.
Watch the full discussion here.
Japan looks to participate in Nato's Ukraine mission in Germany
Japan has expressed in participating in the Nato command for its Ukrainian mission based in Germany – in what would mark a major boost in ties with the largely European alliance.
Japanese defence minister Gen Nakatani announced his country’s interest in joining the mission during talks with Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte in Tokyo on Tuesday.
Details – which include the possibility of sending Japan Self Defence Force members to the US base in Wiesbaden – were still to be discussed. But any Japanese co-operation was not expected to involve combat, in line with what has been Tokyo’s post-Second World War tradition of limiting its military’s role.
Mr Nakatani said Japan wants to further deepen security co-operation with Nato and that participation in the Nato mission would help Tokyo learn lessons from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Both Japan and Nato face many challenges and our security environment has become increasingly more severe,” he said.
Japan has said that Russia’s war on Ukraine underscores that security risks in Europe and Asia are inseparable, and Tokyo has sought closer ties with Nato while also joining the United States in expanding defence ties with other friendly nations in the Indo-Pacific.
Mapped: Russia's advance in Donetsk slows as Ukrainian troops launch counterattacks
Russia and US officials to hold talks in Istanbul this week, Kremlin says
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said that Russian foreign ministry officials will take part in talks with the US in Istanbul planned for Thursday.
He did not offer details of what the talks would focus on, but the foreign ministry's involvement suggests it is another round of discussions about normalising their respective embassies’ operations and increasing staff numbers after years of diplomatic expulsions.
Tories say capture of Chinese citizens in Donetsk a ‘stark reminder’ of need to help Ukraine
The Tory shadow foreign secretary has vowed to put Beijing’s response “under the microscope” after Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine had captured two Chinese citizens fighting for Russia in Donetsk.
Dame Priti Patel said: “President Zelensky’s statement about the capture of two Chinese citizens supporting Russia’s army in Ukrainian territory should concern us all.
“We await further and fuller details, but this is a stark reminder about why it’s so important we continue our support for Ukraine now, to help them defend their sovereign territory from Putin's barbaric invasion.
“We will put China's response under the microscope. More broadly, China must refrain from any actions that could help fuel Putin’s war machine.”
Nato chief raises concern over China's arms buildup
The head of Nato has expressed concern about China’s arms buildup and military drills near Taiwan and called on the organisation’s members and friendly nations to work together to keep free and open sea lanes in the region.
“China is supporting Russia's efforts. China is building up its armed forces, including its navy, at a rapid pace,” Nato chief Mark Rutte told reporters as he wrapped up his visit to the Japanese navy port of Yokosuka.
“We cannot be naive, and we really have to work together, assess what is happening.”
His remarks came as Japanese defence minister Gen Nakatani announced his country’s interest in participating in the Nato command for its Ukrainian mission, which is based in Germany.
Russia pushes Ukrainian troops from one of their last footholds in Kursk region, army claims
Russia is close to regaining full control of its western Kursk region after pushing Ukrainian forces from one of their last footholds there, the regional governor and state media have claimed.
Russia's Defence Ministry released footage of what it claimed was the recapture of the settlement of Guyevo – showing smoke rising from various buildings, a soldier waving the Russian flag from the window of a heavily damaged Orthodox church, and Russian troops carrying out house-to-house checks in case any Ukrainian soldiers were hiding.
Reuters reported that it was able to verify the location of the video from file and satellite imagery of the area, but could not verify the date.
There was no immediate comment from Ukraine on Russia’s claims, but the Ukrainian militar said that its planes had struck a complex of hangars and military buildings in the Kursk region being used by Russian drone operators and maintenance workers.
Alexander Khinshtein, the governor of Kursk, claimed the raising of Russia’s flag in Guyevo meant Russian forces were on course to regain control of the region “very soon”. Citing unnamed military sources, the Tass state news agency claimed that Moscow only had to push Ukrainian troops out of two more settlements – Gornal and Oleshnya – in order to retake the entire region.
US Senate backs Elbridge Colby for top Pentagon post, after he refuses to say Putin invaded Ukraine
The US Senate has voted on Tuesday to confirm Elbridge Colby – a China hawk and advocate of Donald Trump’s “America First” worldview – as undersecretary of defence for policy, the Pentagon’s No 3 post.
Colby, who was deputy assistant secretary of defence for strategy and force development during Mr Trump’s first term as president, is known for arguing that the US military should prioritise competition with China and shift its focus from the Middle East and Europe.
He was closely questioned about those views by Democrats and some Republicans during his confirmation hearing, during which he repeatedly declined to answer when asked if Vladimir Putin had invaded Ukraine – instead citing Trump's ongoing “delicate” diplomacy.
The only Senate Republican who voted against Mr Colby’s confirmation on Tuesday was Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the party’s former leader.
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