Last year, top-ranking officials, including the Russian defence minister, approved secret military training of Russian troops in China. The joint drills were conducted by at least four high-ranking officials from both nations, European authorities and classified documents indicated.

Such high-level military involvement highlights the significance of this partnership in today’s context of conflict in Ukraine. Knowing about the revelation has raised big concerns in Europe, while Beijing has continuously denied that any such training ever took place.

An internal decree, dating from Aug. 2025, by Defense Minister Andrei Belousov was mentioned in an explicit reference to a classified Russian document. In accordance with this directive, a delegation of the armed forces of the Russian Federation was sent to join in the training in specialized training grounds of the Ministry of National Defense of the People’s Republic of China.

Specialized Warfare Exercises and the European Response

The operations were executed with a proper training session in Beijing, lasting three weeks, which included a thorough study of highly sensitive military tactics, confirmed internal reports and images. The following were some of the major areas of the training:

• Radiological, Chemical, and Biological Protection: Advanced defence strategies for highly polluted areas. 
• Threat Reconnaissance: Radiation detection and advanced chemical reconnaissance. 
• Infrastructure Defense: Contamination of models of nuclear reactors, ventilation networks, etc. in the battlefield. 

Every participant was identified, along with their ranks and security clearances, with a comprehensive military roster. The opening courses were supervised by senior officers like Russian Colonel General Rustam Muradov and Chinese Major General Li Jinsun, with a sub-level agreement for the training signed by Russian Major General Rustam Khusainov and Chinese Senior Colonel Sun Dayun.

Internal Russian evaluations were mixed, though there was a high level of coordination. Respecting the advanced technology, simulators, and theory of the Chinese instructors, observers pointed to one serious weakness—the fact that the Chinese military lacks any combat experience to date, whereas the Russians have been in combat for four years.
Senior Russian State Duma politician Andrei Kartapolov, who is a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Defence, publicly ridiculed the news altogether, asserting that the Russian military has nothing to learn from China. 

The repercussions of the geopolitical change have been rapid and profound. The EU has officially acknowledged the training, foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas saying Brussels is “evaluating the international consequences. In the bloc, behind-the-scenes talks are beginning to focus on not only China’s importance as a trade partner, but also as a key facilitator of Russia’s war effort.

Meanwhile, Moscow and Beijing continue to turn the other cheek to the allegations. The Kremlin has denounced the reports as “false information” that is being spread by the West. At the same time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China said the “unfounded smears” are “unjustified,” arguing that China has a “neutral position” and only wants to play a role of a “peace mediator” in the conflict between President Vladimir Putin.