Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov personally authorized secret military training for Russian troops in China last year, according to classified documents and European intelligence officials cited by Reuters, revealing a deepening military partnership between Moscow and Beijing that Western governments had long suspected but could not confirm.

The covert program involved approximately 200 Russian service members who underwent training in China in late 2025, including a three-week course on radiological, chemical, and biological defense in Beijing. At least four senior generals from both countries were directly involved in coordinating the exercises.

Top-Level Authorization

The involvement of Belousov and multiple flag officers signals that the military exchanges were not routine cooperation but a strategically authorized program approved at the highest levels of the Russian defense establishment. European officials briefed on the intelligence described the training as part of an expanding defense relationship that has accelerated since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

The revelations come as Moscow has increased its military imports from China, including a tenfold increase in optical fiber purchases in 2025. The material is used to control fiber-optic first-person-view drones that have become critical weapons in the Ukraine conflict.

Beijing's Diplomatic Dance

China's official response has sought to balance its strategic partnership with Russia against concerns about international isolation. Beijing reiterated its support for a ceasefire in Ukraine and called for negotiations, even as reports of the secret training program fueled Western concerns about Chinese involvement in the conflict.

The apparent contradiction between China's public calls for peace and its private military cooperation with Russia mirrors a pattern Western officials have noted for years. Beijing has consistently declined to condemn Russia's invasion while providing economic support that helps Moscow sustain its war effort.

European Response

European Union officials are considering diplomatic and sanctions responses to the revelations, according to officials familiar with the discussions. The leaked documents have intensified debate within NATO about China's role as an enabler of Russian military operations.

The training program suggests closer military-to-military ties than either government has publicly acknowledged. While Russia and China have conducted joint exercises for years, including naval patrols and air operations near Alaska and Japan, the covert nature of the 2025 training indicates activities both nations sought to conceal from Western intelligence.

Strategic Implications

Military analysts view the training program as evidence of a deepening "no limits" partnership between Moscow and Beijing that both leaders proclaimed during the 2022 Beijing Olympics, shortly before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The relationship has since evolved from diplomatic support to tangible military cooperation.

For Washington and its allies, the revelations complicate efforts to pressure either country individually. The Russia-China relationship appears increasingly resistant to Western attempts to drive wedges between the two powers, creating a durable axis that challenges American interests across multiple regions.