China has conducted covert military training for Russian armed forces following direct personal authorization from Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, Reuters reported on July 1.
Classified documents and statements from European officials revealed that at least four Russian and Chinese generals were directly involved in coordinating the program, which focused heavily on radiological, biological, and chemical warfare. The internal Russian records seen by Reuters referenced an internal decree issued by Belousov in August 2025, which authorized a military delegation to travel to China for specialized training at People’s Liberation Army (PLA) facilities.
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In November 2025, around 200 Russian military personnel attended a three-week session in Beijing focused on “chemical reconnaissance,” “radiation reconnaissance,” and shielding ventilation systems from contamination. Intelligence officials told Reuters that multiple participants from these sessions have since been deployed directly to the war in Ukraine.
The underpinning framework for the training program was established via an agreement signed on July 2, 2025, by Russian Major General Rustam Khusainov and Chinese Senior Colonel Sun Dayun. According to participant logs reviewed by Reuters, the Russian delegation was led by Colonel General Rustam Muradov, deputy commander-in-chief of Russia’s land forces, and included Major General Vitaly Gerasimov.
The opening of the radiological and biological defense courses was attended by Chinese Major General Li Jinsun. European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stated on June 15 that Brussels confirmed the training through its own channels and is now weighing its geopolitical response.
While Beijing’s foreign ministry dismissed the claims as “entirely unfounded,” and Russian lawmaker Andrei Kartapolov called the report “complete nonsense,” European powers are currently evaluating whether further economic sanctions are required against their vital trade partner, Reuters writes.
This specialized training program coincides with the expanding operational coordination between Beijing and Moscow on the international stage. South Korea had recently scrambled Air Force fighter jets after more than 10 Chinese and Russian military aircraft entered the Korea Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ) during an unannounced joint strategic patrol over the East Sea.
The sequential deployment had reportedly marked the first major coordinated entry into the KADIZ buffer zone since December 2025, highlighting the increasing frequency and scale of bilateral air maneuvers.
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