Ukraine has expanded on its claim that significant numbers of Chinese nationals are fighting for Russia’s invading army, saying it had gathered detailed intelligence on more than 150 mercenaries Moscow allegedly recruited through social media.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said more than 150 Chinese men were fighting for Russia in Ukraine, hours after China dismissed claims that many of its citizens were involved in the war.

Zelenskyy’s claim that Chinese soldiers are fighting for Russia embarrasses Beijing. But what does it really mean?

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused Russia on Thursday of working systematically in China to recruit fighters for its war in Ukraine, days after announcing Ukrainian forces had captured two Chinese men fighting for Moscow.

The two captured Chinese citizen's passports were displayed in the video shared by Zelensky Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says at least 155 Chinese citizens are fighting for Russia in the war.

Zelensky said the Ukrainian military captured two Chinese men fighting alongside the Russian army and that he believed “significantly more” were with Russian forces.

Simply sign up to the War in Ukraine myFT Digest -- delivered directly to your inbox. Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Beijing of doing nothing to stop Russia enlisting Chinese nationals to fight in Ukraine,

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday that Ukrainian intelligence had identified 155 Chinese citizens fighting alongside Russian forces, a day after Ukraine said two Chinese nationals were captured in the country.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that Ukrainian forces had captured two Chinese men fighting for Russia in eastern Ukraine, potentially threatening a fragile peace effort in the three-year-old war.