Xi Jinping secretly trained hundreds of Vladimir Putin’s soldiers who fought in Ukraine war as Axis of Evil pulls closer

Brussels has confirmed that China secretly trained hundreds of Russian soldiers who subsequently fought in the Ukraine war, dramatically escalating tensions between the European Union and Beijing. EU High Representative Kaja Kallas announced on June 15 that the bloc has 'verified reports' of Chinese military involvement, calling Beijing a 'decisive enabler' of the ongoing conflict and triggering new EU economic sanctions against Chinese entities. This direct military support, which China vehemently denies, marks a critical shift in the geopolitical landscape, deepening the perceived 'Axis of Evil' narrative against Western powers. The revelations stem from a May 2026 Reuters report, citing European intelligence, detailing how the People's Liberation Army covertly hosted approximately 200 Russian military personnel in late 2025. These training sessions, outlined in a July 2025 bilateral agreement, reportedly focused on advanced drone warfare techniques before the troops were deployed to the Ukrainian front. While China's Foreign Ministry dismissed the claims as 'pure slander,' the confirmation solidifies long-standing suspicions that Beijing, despite its professed neutrality, has provided crucial economic and material support to Moscow since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, notably through dual-use technologies. This verification of direct military training is poised to dominate upcoming EU-China dialogues, including a June 17 meeting of EU leaders to discuss China's industrial overcapacity and an impending visit by the EU trade chief. The deepening Sino-Russian alignment, highlighted by recent joint military exercises like February's 'Maritime Security Belt 2026' with Iran, underscores a hardening authoritarian bloc against democratic nations. With Ukraine recently showing rare momentum on the battlefield through advanced drone tactics, the implications of China's direct military assistance for the conflict's trajectory and global stability are now a paramount concern for Western capitals.