Russia China military training has come under renewed scrutiny after a Reuters report cited classified Russian documents and European officials alleging that senior Russian leaders approved military training in China during 2025. China has rejected the allegations, maintaining that its position on the Ukraine conflict remains unchanged.
According to Reuters, the documents indicate that Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov authorized a delegation of Russian military personnel to travel to China for training at facilities operated by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Two European officials told the news agency that several senior Russian and Chinese military officers participated in the program.
The report states that one of the training sessions lasted three weeks and focused on radiological, biological and chemical (RBC) protection. Reuters said the documents included descriptions and images of Russian personnel receiving instruction from Chinese military instructors on chemical reconnaissance, radiation protection and contamination control.
The Russian and Chinese defence ministries did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment. However, China’s Foreign Ministry rejected the report, calling the allegations “entirely unfounded” and reiterating Beijing’s position that it remains neutral regarding the war in Ukraine while supporting diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.
Reuters also noted that European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc had independently confirmed that military training had taken place and was assessing its implications. The European Union has previously imposed sanctions on some Chinese companies over allegations of supporting Russia’s war effort, while Beijing has consistently denied providing military assistance.
The report further stated that internal Russian military assessments praised China’s military equipment, training simulators and instructors’ theoretical expertise but also noted the Chinese military’s limited recent combat experience. Russian lawmaker Andrei Kartapolov dismissed the Reuters report, describing it as “complete nonsense.”
The reported Russia China military training reflects growing international attention on defence cooperation between Moscow and Beijing. While Reuters cited classified documents and European officials, both China and some Russian officials have rejected the allegations, leaving the claims at the center of ongoing international debate.
