Russia-Ukraine war may take new turn as Chinese nationals fight for Russia. Serhiy Zgurets' column

Chinese citizens appear on frontlines

Russia's war against Ukraine could take on a new dimension, with Chinese citizens now fighting alongside the aggressor, in addition to the involvement of North Korean military personnel. On April 8, President Zelenskyy revealed that the Ukrainian military had captured two Chinese citizens who had fought as part of the Russian army in the Donetsk region. Ukraine possesses the prisoners' documents, bank cards, and personal data.

Zelenskyy also stated that there is evidence suggesting more than two Chinese citizens are among the occupying Russian troops. All facts are currently being verified, with intelligence agencies, the Security Service of Ukraine, and the relevant units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces involved in the investigation. According to reports, these Chinese soldiers were captured near Tarasivka and Bilohorivka in the Donetsk region. A battle involving six Chinese soldiers took place, but the fate of four others remains unknown. It is also unclear whether these individuals belong to separate Chinese military units or if they are simply Chinese nationals who signed contracts with the Russian army.

One of the Chinese captives has been filmed on video. Additionally, an earlier video has been published, which may help determine whether these individuals are members of the Chinese military. The video was recorded in Russia, likely at a training ground or in a settlement, where the two soldiers are seen communicating in Chinese.

Zelenskyy emphasized that the situation requires explanations from China. This is another country, according to the president, that militarily supports Russia's invasion of Ukraine, along with Iran and North Korea. However, as the president noted, there is an important difference: the North Koreans are fighting in the Kursk region, while the Chinese are fighting in Ukraine. China is expected to respond in the near future.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha summoned China's Charge d'Affaires in Ukraine to provide clarification. This topic is likely to be raised at the Ramstein summit, in Ukraine's talks with its European partners. But this situation looks very disturbing, so we should wait for China's official reaction.

Destruction of Russian reconnaissance UAV

Ukraine's Khortytsia unit recently released a video showing the destruction of a Russian Merlin-VR reconnaissance drone in the Lyman direction. Since the beginning of hostilities in 2022, over 20 such drones have been destroyed, with French and Israeli optics, along with other foreign components, discovered in the wreckage.

The video is noteworthy because it features two Ukrainian units — the 63rd Mechanized Brigade and the 45th Artillery Brigade — targeting the Merlin VR using their anti-drone guns. This highlights the significant capability of Ukraine's Armed Forces to neutralize enemy drones, which can infiltrate Ukrainian territory up to 200 km away, operate at altitudes of 3-5 km, and have a range of up to 600 km.

Let me remind you that the system is designed in such a way that Ukrainian units receive data on Russian drones through the operation of Ukrainian radar systems. These are imported foreign radars that can detect Russian drones. The data is then transmitted to Ukrainian brigades that have such weapons. We can see that the result is quite effective in depriving the Russians of “eyes” on the battlefield, as evidenced by the destroyed Merlin, Orlan and ZALA.

However, the situation is changing when it comes to the Russian potential to use ballistic missiles. Recently, the aggressor has been using ballistic missiles more often than cruise missiles. Recently, there was a strike on Kryvyi Rih, where an Iskander missile hit a playground, killing 20 people, including children.

Ukraine's Air Force Command has stated that Russia is upgrading its Shahed drones and ballistic missiles, which are becoming more challenging to intercept. One potential solution to this issue is bolstering air defense systems, particularly through the acquisition of Patriot systems from international partners. This topic is expected to be addressed at the upcoming Ramstein-format meeting, where countries that have pledged to provide Patriot systems will need to fulfill those commitments. I think this will be an important element in strengthening Ukraine's air defense system. 

Development of Ukrainian guided bombs

Meanwhile, Ukraine is also advancing its own capabilities for striking enemy targets. One area of focus is the development of guided aerial bombs. Russia has been actively using such bombs on the battlefield, which has driven Ukraine to work on creating its own aerial weapon systems. Several Ukrainian companies are currently developing domestic guided and glide bombs, which will be equipped with Ukrainian-made guidance modules. These innovations are expected to significantly improve the precision and effectiveness of Ukraine's airstrikes.

Oleh Vostrykh, a representative of the Advanced Technologies Foundation and the Design Bureau for the development of Ukrainian guided bombs, stated that the development of a domestic glider bomb began only in August last year, while Russians have been working on such weapons for over 15 years. The Ukrainian guided bomb project is currently at the testing stage, and the results indicate that Ukrainian developers are on the right track: the bomb flies, glides, and everything is progressing as expected. It is worth noting that 90% of the product's components are made in Ukraine. The only area requiring improvement is the bomb's accuracy capabilities, as well as making it fly more quietly and enabling it to correctly identify the target without being affected by Russian electronic warfare. These improvements, however, require funding. Ukraine faces challenges in financing such teams with promising developments in various types of weapons, as funds are typically provided only once the product is certified and put into operation.

The representative of the design bureau mentioned that they cannot showcase their products at the moment because the Russians are monitoring Ukraine's information space. Russia is actively searching for similar production facilities, so they cannot risk exposing this potential. A 500 kg bomb is a powerful weapon that destroys the occupying force and helps the Ukrainian army advance. There are around 8 companies in Ukraine working in this field, so progress is actively being made. If the company receives the necessary financial assistance, they will be ready to deploy their guided bombs on the battlefield in 2-3 months, and then the public will see where their contributions have gone.

The Ukrainian developer highlighted efforts to counter the Russian Shaheds, noting that Ukraine has Global Positioning and Navigation Systems stations that provide precise data for agricultural producers. Although the president once ordered these stations to be shut down, they have somehow continued operating for a year now. As a result, there are three-dimensional access points that can be utilized in route development. Additionally, the Russians install in their drones sim cards and these cards provide certain frequencies with an error margin of about 2.5 cm. If the modem in the Shahed can read these frequencies, the Russian drone will fly at low altitudes, similar to a trolleybus in Kyiv. It is known that such drones are difficult to shoot down. It is strange that Ukrainian special services have not addressed these issues. While agriculture requires such technologies, it’s questionable whether any tractor or combine harvester operates at night. Therefore, these frequencies could be switched off during nighttime to prevent Russian forces from using them. In effect, it is enabling Russia to obtain precise measurements for the Shahed's flight.

Vostrykh summarized that the design bureau is closely monitoring the latest developments, searching for wreckage of Russian guided bombs and drones to enhance domestic weapons and ensure the Ukrainian army has access to advanced technologies. As a result, domestic developers require funding and skilled minds, many of whom are currently on the front lines. Extracting them to focus on developing the necessary equipment and materials to help Ukraine defeat its enemy is a significant challenge.

To sum up the expert's remarks, the first tests of Ukrainian glider bombs were successful, but additional funding is needed to complete the testing process and begin mass production.