Secret Russia-China Military Training Reveals Deeper Wartime Defence Cooperation

Russia's top military leadership secretly approved specialised training programmes for its armed forces in China, according to classified Russian documents reviewed by Reuters, offering fresh evidence of expanding defence cooperation between Moscow and Beijing as the war in Ukraine continues.

The Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov signed an internal decree in August 2025 authorising Russian military personnel to participate in training at facilities run by China's People's Liberation Army (PLA), according a report by Reuters. The programme, which had not previously been disclosed, was approved at the highest levels of Russia's military establishment.

The documents, corroborated by two European officials familiar with the matter, show that senior military officers from both countries oversaw the initiative. Reuters reported that the programme has drawn attention among European governments because it directly involved Russian personnel engaged in military operations during the Ukraine conflict.

The training centred on radiological, biological and chemical (RBC) defence capabilities. One course took place in Beijing in November 2025, while another was conducted at the PLA Academy of Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defence in Bengbu, eastern China.

Internal Russian reports reviewed by Reuters praised China's training infrastructure, describing its simulators and specialist equipment as more advanced than Russia's own. One assessment, however, observed that Chinese instructors lacked recent battlefield experience, reflecting the PLA's limited involvement in modern combat operations.

The documents identify Colonel-General Rustam Muradov, deputy commander-in-chief of Russia's Ground Forces, as leading one Russian delegation. Chinese Major-General Li Jinsun, head of the PLA's specialised academy, attended the opening ceremony for one programme, while Russian Major-General Vitaly Gerasimov also participated in another session.

The latest revelations come as Russia and China continue to deepen what both governments describe as a comprehensive strategic partnership.

Closer Than Ever Before

During talks at the Kremlin in June, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed their commitment to expanding cooperation across defence, security, trade, investment, energy and international affairs. According to the Kremlin's official readout of the meeting, both leaders emphasised strengthening strategic coordination and maintaining close military-to-military contacts as part of their broader partnership.

China has become Russia's largest trading partner since Western sanctions imposed after Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 reshaped Russian trade flows. While Beijing has avoided publicly endorsing Russia's military campaign, it has significantly expanded economic ties with Moscow and increased diplomatic engagement over the course of the war.

Russia and China have also stepped up joint military activities, including naval patrols, air exercises and strategic bomber flights, presenting their relationship as a counterweight to what they describe as Western-led security alliances.

The war in Ukraine, now in its fifth year, continues with heavy fighting across multiple fronts. Russia has maintained missile and drone strikes against Ukrainian cities, while Ukraine has increasingly targeted military infrastructure and energy facilities inside Russia using long-range drones, underscoring the continuing intensity of the conflict.