Russia authorized secret training in China with 200 soldiers, agency says

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping inspect the guard of honor during a welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, May 20, 2026.
Maxim Shemetov/Reuters
China's secret military training with Russian forces last year was personally authorized by Russia's defense minister, with direct participation from at least four Russian and Chinese generals, according to two European officials and documents obtained by Reuters.
Officials said the involvement of high-ranking military personnel in war-related training in Ukraine shows the importance of cooperation between Russia and China, which has raised concern in Europe, despite Beijing denying that the exercises took place.
A classified Russian document seen by Reuters directly cites an internal decree issued by Defense Minister Andrei Belousov in August 2025.
According to the document, on Belousov's decision, a delegation from the Russian Armed Forces traveled to China to participate of training exercises at People's Liberation Army (PLA) facilities.
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Training involved defense against chemical, biological and nuclear weapons
The same report detailed one of the training courses: a three-week session, held at a military installation in Beijing in November, focusing on protection against radiological, chemical and biological threats.
The document and a second report describe images of Russian soldiers receiving instructions from a Chinese military officer, observing a model of a nuclear reactor and learning about "chemical reconnaissance", "radiation recognition" and protecting ventilation systems against contamination.
The inclusion of training related to radiological, biological and chemical weapons reinforces the strategic nature of the exchanges, said one of the European officials, highlighting that the topic is considered sensitive for military forces in general.
A rescuer puts out a fire in a house destroyed after a Russian attack on a residential neighborhood in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on Tuesday, June 30, 2026.
Kateryna Klochko / AP
The defense ministries of Russia and China did not respond to Reuters' requests for comment.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement that its position on the war in Ukraine remains the same and classified the accusations as "totally unfounded".
Beijing claims to maintain neutrality in the conflict and presents itself as a peace mediator.
According to a Reuters report published last month, based on information from European intelligence agencies and military documents, China trained in November around 200 Russian military personnel, some of whom later participated in the war in Ukraine.
The Kremlin did not comment on the information, but criticized what it called "false information" disseminated in the West.
The head of European Union diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, stated on June 15 that Brussels confirmed through its own channels that the training took place and is now evaluating the consequences.
Beijing classified the statements as "smears".
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European countries, which consider Russia their main security threat since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, are following with concern the strengthening of ties between Moscow and Beijing, the second largest economy in the world and an important trading partner of the European Union.
Within the bloc of 27 countries, the debate is taking place over the need for new measures in response to military training, given the economic relationship maintained with China.
The European Union has already applied sanctions against Chinese companies accused of supporting Russia's war efforts.
A third European official, in Brussels, told Reuters that the bloc needs to stop analyzing China only from an economic perspective and consider the country's role as a "decisive facilitator of Russia's war", an expression used by Kallas.
The two authorities and Europeans interviewed by Reuters, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the information, identified Russian Major General Rustam Khusainov and Chinese Senior Colonel Sun Dayun as signatories of a July 2 agreement that provided the basis for the training.
Andrei Kartapolov, a Russian parliamentarian who chairs the Defense Committee of the Lower House of Parliament, told Russian broadcaster RTVI that the report on the training was "complete nonsense" and said that the Russian Armed Forces had nothing to learn from China.
China has no recent combat experience
Russia has accumulated extensive experience in more than four years of war in Ukraine, while China, despite having a large and technologically advanced military force, has not participated in a conflict in decades.
Internal reports of the Russian Armed Forces obtained by Reuters highlighted positive points and limitations in the training.
A document on exercises carried out in Nanjing praised the quality of the equipment, the use of simulators and the theoretical knowledge of the instructors Chinese, but specifically highlighted China's lack of combat experience.
Other documents identified three generals who participated in the training.
A Russian military document listed the names of all participants in the courses, including high-ranking officers, with information such as title, date of birth, bond and level of security clearance.
Colonel General Rustam Muradov, deputy commander of Russian ground forces, led the Russian delegation, according to the list and another military document reviewed by the Reuters.
According to the same material, Chinese Major General Li Jinsun, head of the PLA Military Academy of Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defense, participated in the opening of one of the courses.
Russian Major General Vitaly Gerasimov participated in training held in Bengbu, according to the list of participants.

Source: G1