Krishnamoorthi, Moolenaar Request State Department Briefing on Reports of Chinese Mercenaries Fighting in Ukraine

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) and Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) sent a bipartisan letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressing concern over reports that Chinese nationals are fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.

The lawmakers are requesting a classified briefing to determine the accuracy of the reports and to understand what actions the United States is taking to hold the CCP accountable for its extensive support of Russia’s war effort.

The lawmakers write, “The recent reporting on Chinese mercenaries fighting in Ukraine, in addition to the PRC’s broader support for the Russian war effort, underscores the deepening alignment between the autocratic regimes in Beijing and Moscow, including their mutual support and encouragement of each other’s expansionist aims.”

Recent reporting indicates that two PRC citizens were captured by Ukrainian forces in the Donetsk region, and Ukrainian intelligence believes more than 150 additional PRC nationals may be serving in Russian military units. This follows a growing body of evidence that the CCP is aiding Russia’s invasion by providing it with dual-use goods and military technology—including drones, semiconductors, and fighter jet components.

Ranking Member Krishnamoorthi and Chairman Moolenaar are seeking information on whether the State Department has raised the issue with the PRC, and what steps are being taken to respond.

Read the full letter here.

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