Published On 1/7/2026
Reuters, citing two European officials and documents it reviewed, said that a secret military training conducted by China for Russian forces last year received personal approval from Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, and at least four Russian and Chinese generals directly participated in it.
The two officials said that the participation of such senior military figures in exercises related to the war in Ukraine reflects the importance that Moscow and Beijing attach to this cooperation, which has raised concern in Europe despite China’s denial of its occurrence.
A secret Russian document seen by Reuters showed an internal decree issued by Belousov in August 2025. The document stated that a delegation from the Russian armed forces traveled to China, based on a decision from the Minister of Defense, to participate in military exercises at facilities belonging to the Chinese army.
Training on radiological and biological warfare
According to Reuters, the document revealed details of one of the training courses, a 3-week course that focused on protection from radiological, chemical and biological dangers inside a military facility in Beijing last November.
The document and another report showed pictures of Russian soldiers receiving a lecture from a Chinese trainer, inspecting a model of a nuclear reactor, and training in “chemical reconnaissance” and “radiological reconnaissance,” in addition to methods of protecting ventilation systems from pollution.
One European official said that the inclusion of training on radiological, biological and chemical warfare highlights the strategic nature of these exchanges, pointing out the sensitivity of this field for the army in general.
Reuters noted the reluctance of the Russian and Chinese Defense Ministries to respond to requests from the agency to comment on this information.
On the other hand, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that its position on the Ukraine crisis remains firm, noting that “the relevant allegations are completely unfounded,” referring to the details contained in this document.
Beijing constantly asserts that it is neutral in the Russian war on Ukraine, and presents itself as a peace mediator.
Last June, Reuters revealed, citing European intelligence agencies and military documents, that last November, China trained about 200 members of the Russian army, some of whom later joined the fronts in Ukraine.
The Kremlin declined to comment on that report, but criticized what it described as “false information” circulating in the West.
On June 15, European Union foreign policy official Kaya Kallas said that the bloc had confirmed through its own channels that the training had taken place, and was currently working to evaluate its repercussions. Beijing responded to these statements, describing them as “nothing but smear campaigns.”
The European Union is considering a response
European powers are warily watching the growing rapprochement between Moscow and Beijing, which has the world’s second-largest economy and the European Union’s main trading partner. European countries consider Russia the main security threat to them since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Discussions within the 27-nation bloc behind closed doors revolve around whether additional measures should be taken in response to these exercises, given the priority of commercial considerations that usually shape relations with China.
The European Union has already imposed sanctions on Chinese companies that it says support the Russian war effort.
Reuters quoted a European official in Brussels as saying that the Union should not focus on China from an economic angle only, but rather should pay attention to what Callas mentioned that China has become “a decisive factor in enabling the Russian war.”
Beijing lacks combat experience
Reports indicate that Russia has accumulated extensive experience from continuous fighting in Ukraine for more than four years, while China, which has a huge and technologically advanced army, has not fought any actual war in decades.
Internal Russian military reports reviewed by Reuters revealed the strengths and weaknesses of this joint training. One report – which dealt with training in Nanjing – praised the level of equipment, the use of simulators, and the high theoretical knowledge of the Chinese trainers, but in return pointed out Beijing’s lack of field combat experience.
According to the list and a second military document seen by Reuters, Colonel-General Rustam Muradov led the Russian delegation, in his capacity as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Ground Forces.
The document also showed that Chinese General Li Jinsun, head of the Military Academy for Radiation, Chemical and Biological Defense of the Chinese army, personally participated in the opening of one of these training courses.
