According to the publication’s sources, the secret exercises were предусмотрed under a bilingual agreement between Russia and China signed in Beijing on July 2, 2025, by senior military officers from both countries. The agreement stated that Russian troops would undergo training at bases in Beijing and Nanjing, while Chinese military personnel would simultaneously train in Russia.
The Russians were reportedly trained in drone warfare, electronic warfare, army aviation and mechanized infantry operations. The agreement prohibited any media coverage of the visits or disclosure to third parties.
According to intelligence data, the training of Russian troops in China marks a new stage of cooperation, while visits by Chinese military personnel to Russia have continued since at least 2024. One intelligence agency said China, by training Russians at tactical and operational levels, is far more directly involved in the war in Europe than previously believed.
Among those trained were senior instructors capable of passing knowledge down through the chain of command. Intelligence sources said some of them later directly participated in drone combat operations in occupied Crimea and Russian-occupied parts of Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Their ranks ranged from junior sergeant to lieutenant colonel.
Although China and Russia have conducted joint exercises since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Beijing has repeatedly emphasized its neutrality and positioned itself as a mediator in peace efforts.
At the same time, the Kremlin said Vladimir Putin will travel to Beijing on May 19-20 for talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The visit comes shortly after Xi’s summit with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Yuri Ushakov, an aide to Putin, claimed the dates for the visit had been agreed back in February and that there was “no connection whatsoever” to Trump’s trip to China.
According to Bloomberg, Russia has become increasingly dependent on trade with China amid sanctions imposed over the war against Ukraine. Moscow believes the conflict in the Middle East and risks to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz could push China toward deeper cooperation with Russia in energy and logistics.