Ukraine-Russia war latest: Beijing refutes Zelensky’s claim there are ‘many more’ Chinese troops fighting for Putin

Russia’s defence ministry said Ukraine had tried to attack a compressor station that serves the TurkStream pipeline.

In a statement, the ministry said no damage had been caused. The TurkStream pipeline sends gas from Russia to Turkey through the Black Sea.

Reuters said it was unable to verify the battlefield reports, which said Ukraine had carried out six attacks on Russian energy infrastructure over the past day.

Both Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of attacks on energy infrastructure, despite an agreed 30-day halt to such attacks.

Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday that Russian drone strikes damaged civilian infrastructure overnight, including homes and a gas pipeline.

A top adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has spoken with UK national security advisor Jonathan Powell.

Andriy Yermak, the head of the office of the Ukrainian President, said the pair spoke on the phone.

“The main focus of our discussion was the security situation and joint efforts with our partners to achieve a just and lasting peace for Ukraine,” he wrote on X.

It was not immediately clear whether the phone call occurred after Mr Zelensky revealed that Ukraine had captured two Chinese men found fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian attacks over the last 24 hours have damaged civilian infrastructure and a gas pipeline, reiterating his call for more pressure on Russia to stop the war.

“There were deliberate strikes on Dnipro and Kharkiv, as well as on communities in the Sumy and Donetsk regions. Ordinary houses and civilian infrastructure were damaged – stores, a healthcare center, a gas pipeline,” he said on social media.

“Unfortunately, a significant number of people were injured. Eleven people were taken to hospitals in Dnipro and Kharkiv. In Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, a child — an 11-year-old girl — was injured in a Russian strike.”

He added that Moscow “ignores any diplomacy” and Ukraine needed more support from partners to end the conflict.

“Increasing pressure on Russia is essential to stop the strikes. And that depends on the decisions of the United States, Europe, and all partners around the world who truly want to end this war,” he said.

The Ukrainian government has allocated $2.7 million (£2.1 million) for consulting advice on a minerals deal with the US.

Ukraine and the US are working on a deal to give America access to critical minerals as part of a peace deal with Russia, being brokered by the US.

The White House recently presented an expanded draft of the deal, which would see Ukraine hand over financial rights to critical minerals and natural energy supplies to help pay back Ukraine’s defence debt with America, plus interest.

Ukraine wants consulting assistance “to protect the national interests of Ukraine and to formulate the position of Ukraine”, by taking into account American and Ukrainian legislations, a government document seen by Reuters said.

Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on Monday that Ukraine will send a team to Washington this week to continue the negotiations.

Volodymyr Zelensky shared a video yesterday of a Chinese fighter who, according to the Ukrainian president, was captured while fighting alongside Russian forces inside Ukraine.

He was one of two soldiers captured, but Zelensky claimed “many more” Chinese fighters were working alongside Russia.

Here’s how countries responded.

US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said the reports were “disturbing”.

“China is a major enabler of Russia in the war in Ukraine,” Ms Bruce said on Tuesday.

China’s foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said Beijing was working to verify Mr Zelensky’s claims, adding that the government “always asks” citizens to avoid participating in any armed conflict.

Responding on Wednesday morning, Mr Lin also hit out at claims that there were “many more” Chinese fighters working with Russia as “totally unfounded”.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “I cannot comment on this information in any way”.

Ukrainian rescuers work at the site of a drone attack in Kharkiv overnight as fighting continues.

The Kremlin has declined to comment on comments from Volodymyr Zelensky that Ukraine captured two Chinese men who had been fighting alongside Russia in Ukraine.

“I cannot comment on this information in any way,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters this morning.

Volodymyr Zelensky shared a video yesterday of one of the captured men, and said there were “many more” Chinese fighters among Russia’s ranks.

China’s foreign ministry said it was working to verify Volodymyr Zelensky’s claims about Chinese fighters.

The Ukrainian president revealed two Chinese soldiers had been captured after fighting in eastern Ukraine alongside Russian forces, and he said there were “many more” Chinese fighters among Russian ranks.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said the claim that there were significant numbers of Chinese people fighting with Russia was “totally unfounded”.

He said: “The Chinese government always asks Chinese citizens to stay away from conflict zones, avoid getting involved in any form of armed conflict, and especially refrain from participating in any party’s military operations.”

Mr Lin added that China has played a “constructive role in politically resolving the Ukraine crisis” and has always asked citizens to avoid getting involved in any form of armed conflict.

A former Ukrainian brigade leader has hit out at the country’s military commander, accusing him of putting soldiers’ lives at risk.

Bohdan Krotevych had been chief of staff of the Azov brigade until he quit in February, and told The Guardian in an interview that Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi “must go” and the whole military’s leadership needed a refresh.

Mr Krotevych said commanders were “asking of soldiers things which they wouldn’t ask of themselves”.

Some of those orders according to Mr Krotevych included asking soldiers to rest 50 metres from the frontline when their shifts were over, which he argued put “all these people in grave danger”.

“I started receiving from the high army command, from the commander-in-chief HQ, orders that became more and more borderline criminal, which I, in my good conscience, was unable to fulfil and follow,” he said in the interview.

Ukraine’s military said Russia launched 55 drone attacks overnight.

While the General Staff of the Armed forces said 32 drones were shot down and eight were lost, others struck targets, including in Dnipro.

Ukrainian deputy prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko said 15 people were injured in strikes on Dnipro, and eight remain in hospital. She said drones hit four apartment buildings and dozens of cars.