Two Chinese nationals captured while fighting for Russia in Ukraine said that they were not sent by their government and had no official ties to Beijing.

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Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv on Monday (April 14), the men shared how they ended up on the front line, their experiences under Russian command, and their regrets.

'Everything the Russians told us was a lie'

Wang Guangjun, one of the two captured, described being exposed to what he believed was a Russian “chemical weapon” shortly after his capture. “I was losing my strength and fainting… Then I felt someone grabbing my collar and pulling me out into the fresh air,” he said.

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He claimed that Ukrainian soldiers looked after him during a Russian attack and even helped him survive. “(Ukrainian) soldiers protected us and have been treating us well this whole time,” Wang added.

Wang and the other captive, Zhang Renbo, were both captured while fighting for Russia in Ukraine. Their detention was made public by President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier in April. Zelensky also said that “several hundred” Chinese nationals were now fighting for Russia.

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From TikTok to the battlefield

Wang said he first heard about the chance to join the Russian army while scrolling through TikTok in China. He was unemployed at the time and tempted by what he said was a recruiter’s promise of earning 200,000 to 250,000 Russian rubles ($2,000–$3,000) per month, more than the average wage in China.

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The recruiter also claimed travel and paperwork would be sorted. But according to Wang, none of that materialised. Once in Russia, he said, his phone and bank card were taken away, making it impossible for him to access his money.

Zhang said he had come from a well-off family and had previously worked as a firefighter and rescuer. He travelled to Russia in December, initially for a construction job, but was later pushed into military service. “I wanted to make money, but I did not expect to end up in the war,” he said.

No links to Chinese state, captives insist

Neither Wang nor Zhang would say where in China they were from. But both insisted they were not acting under Chinese government orders and had joined the Russian military of their own free will.

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Both said they served under Russian commanders who used hand gestures to issue orders. Wang added that escaping the base was nearly impossible due to tight security.

Discouraging others from joining the war

At the press conference, the two captives urged other Chinese nationals not to get involved. “For those (Chinese) citizens who want to take part in the war, we want to say that they should not do so,” Wang warned. “Everything we heard from the Russians was a lie. It turned out that Russia is not that strong, and Ukraine is not that weak. That’s why it’s better not to participate in wars at all,” he added.

When asked if Beijing knew of their involvement, both said the Chinese government advises against travelling to war zones. Zhang said that Chinese citizens who fight abroad could face punishment under the law.

Still, both men said they hoped to return to China as part of a future prisoner exchange. “I understand that there may be punishment, and I am ready for it. But I still want to return home and to my family,” Zhang said.

Wang added, “Real war is completely different from what we have seen in movies and on TV. I regret one thing — I want to apologise to my parents. And my only wish is to go back (to China) and follow all the instructions that will help me do that.”