Secret Military Pact Between Beijing and Moscow
A Reuters investigation has uncovered details of a confidential military agreement between China and Russia, signed on July 2, 2025, in Beijing. Under this pact, approximately 200 Russian military personnel underwent training in China in late 2025, with some now actively engaged in combat operations in Ukraine. The bilingual document was signed by senior officers from both nations and arranged for Russian troops to be trained in Beijing and Nanjing.
Training Programs and Military Cooperation
The agreement also stipulated that hundreds of Chinese soldiers would receive training at Russian facilities. The training curricula focus on:
- drones
- electronic warfare
- army aviation
- mechanized infantry
Internal Russian military reports detail at least four training courses. These include a course on firing 82mm mortars with drone-assisted targeting, an air defense course, an explosive ordnance disposal course, and a simulator-based FPV drone operations course.
Chinese military personnel have been traveling to Russia for training since at least 2024. In December 2025, roughly 50 Russian soldiers completed a marksmanship course at the PLA Ground Force Academy in Shijiazhuang. In November 2025, Russian troops studied mine and explosive techniques at the PLA’s Nanjing University of Military Engineering, and in December 2025, they trained on FPV drone simulators at a PLA military aviation training center in Yibin.
The agreement prohibits both countries' media from covering these visits and requires that no information be shared with third parties. Intelligence has confirmed the identities of several Russian soldiers who trained in China and later fought in occupied Crimea and the Zaporizhzhia region. These include personnel ranging from junior sergeant to lieutenant colonel, as well as instructor officers.
Notably, last month, two Chinese companies involved in the technical development of military drones for a Russian manufacturer were sanctioned by the European Union. The publication of this investigation comes just ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Beijing, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. This marks his 25th trip to China, occurring less than a week after U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to the country. It is worth recalling that Moscow and Beijing announced an unlimited partnership just days before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
“China consistently maintains an objective and impartial stance and promotes peace negotiations. This is consistent and clear, and the international community sees it.” — China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
This agreement between China and Russia underscores the increasingly close military cooperation between the two nations amid the international sanctions and isolation they face. Reciprocal military training may signal strategic support that could influence regional conflicts, particularly the situation in Ukraine. The situation suggests that both countries are seeking to bolster their military capabilities and enhance collaboration in the context of global political tension.