Hundreds of Chinese mercenaries are said to be fighting on Russia's side in the Ukraine war. This is reported by various sources, including mercenaries directly from the front. Most of these men come from difficult backgrounds or lead desperate lives and are looking for a way to earn money. The exact number of mercenaries is difficult to determine.
A mercenary from Guangzhou told Table.Briefings about his experiences via a chat contact: "The men I have met are destitute divorcees, abandoned orphans, people with incurable diseases, men with broken hearts, people with high debts or former criminals who have not found work in China," says the 29-year-old. He came to Russia in January and signed his contract there. For security reasons, he does not wish to be named.
According to his statement, the mercenaries are paid between RUB 200,000 and RUB 250,000 (around EUR 2,200 to EUR 2,800) per month. In the event of their death, compensation of five million roubles (around EUR 56,000) is planned. This information is consistent with a report by the author "Commander Li," which was published on his independent news channel on WeChat. For the report, he analyzed information and videos shared by Chinese mercenaries on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok. However, the authenticity of these videos could not be verified.
The mercenary from Guangzhou spoke to Table.Briefings from Kursk last week. He reported that he was fighting in a unit with many Chinese and North Koreans. The North Koreans were sent by their government. When asked how they had come to Russia, the Chinese mercenaries explained that they had entered the country on their own with a tourist visa – without the support of the Chinese government. The Chinese government has not yet commented on the reports.
The Chinese mercenaries complain of poor organization and leadership within the Russian army as well as mistreatment and discrimination by their Russian superiors. The supply of food and equipment is also inadequate. "Yes, that's true. They treat us badly," said the man from Guangzhou. "You are only respected if you fight particularly bravely and kill a lot of Ukrainians."
A Chinese mercenary named Zhou Ziqiang wrote on Douyin: "The Russians don't see us as human beings. We fight like a suicide squad, and they don't care if we die or get hurt." Another Chinese mercenary, who calls himself "Macaron," spoke about similar problems in a video interview with the Barcelona-based independent Chinese journalist Chai Jing. "There is strong racial discrimination against Chinese, blacks and Arabs," Macaron said in the interview, which was published on Chai's YouTube channel. Macaron explained that he was stationed in Bachmut during the interview.
The 30-year-old man from Shandong province says he is a former Chinese soldier who had never fought in a real war before. He came to Russia in November 2023 under the influence of Chinese nationalist propaganda. He initially fought with Russian paramilitaries in the Donbas and officially became a mercenary in May 2024.
In the interview, he showed the old and inadequate equipment he had received from the army. His rifle was made in 1948, the helmet was used and had two holes in it. There was no protective vest or other bulletproof equipment. He told Chai that he had bought the helmet and protective equipment at his own expense – only to find that it had been taken away from him by his commanding officer. After filing an official complaint with the military authorities, he was beaten up by his superior and put in a dungeon. He eventually escaped and joined another unit.
In addition to financial motives, some Chinese also came to Russia with a romanticized idea of the war. The official Chinese propaganda in favor of Russia gave the impression that they were fighting for a just cause, explained the man from Guangzhou in an interview with Table.Briefings. At the beginning of the war, there was a widespread opinion in China that Russia deserved support – because if Russia fell, China would be NATO's next target. This could also explain why hardly any Chinese were fighting on the Ukrainian side.But the brutality on the battlefield quickly shattered these illusions. Macaron told Chai that he had now realized that he had made a bad decision. The Chinese mercenaries on Douyin, including Macaron, receive numerous messages from men in China who also want to go to war. But the mercenaries' answer is clear: "Don't come here!"
Macaron explained that there were no days off or any kind of leave – and that you were not allowed to leave even after the contract expired. Desertion is practically impossible, as there are many checkpoints."We could only return home after the end of the war," he said.
Zhao Rui, a 38-year-old man from Chongqing, was the first Chinese mercenary to be confirmed dead in the Ukraine war. According to Macaron, he also witnessed the deaths of four other Chinese mercenaries. He published their names on Douyin and asked viewers to pass the news on to their families. However, the post was deleted by the platform censors for unknown reasons.
It is unclear whether the families of Zhao, the four others, and other mercenaries killed will actually receive the compensation promised in the contract – or whether they will ever see any of it. "Even many dead Russian soldiers are only officially reported as missing," said Macaron. "I feel like our lives are worth as little as a fly." Liu Yi
