A Chinese mercenary, using the alias “Michael,” who once fought for the Russian army, has openly admitted that joining the Russian military was a grave mistake.
According to CNN’s report, Michael had originally sought to experience military life abroad but became utterly disillusioned after a year of frontline service. He described the Russian army as a joke, highlighting the outdated equipment, shortages in supplies, mistreatment of soldiers, and rampant corruption within the ranks.
To make matters worse, due to a conflict with a commander, he was thrown into a dark cell enclosed by reinforced steel for a grueling 21 days, unable to even stand. He described that period as being unable to hold his head up.
Michael had served as a soldier in the Chinese People’s Liberation Army before retiring in 2018. In 2023, he saw a recruitment advertisement by the Russian army through a social platform and traveled to Russia on a tourist visa. Due to language barriers, he was not accepted into the regular forces, leading him to join the Wagner Group and eventually sign a one-year contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense.
The contract stipulated a monthly salary of 200,000 rubles, with a bonus of 50,000 for every kilometer advanced. Michael mentioned that many Chinese individuals were lured by this high pay, especially amidst a sluggish economy and scarce job opportunities in the country, where mercenaries could earn three times the domestic income.
He had shared his frontline experiences on TikTok, but his account was later banned. He suspected it was because he disclosed the abuses endured within the ranks of the Russian military.
CNN pointed out that Michael’s case is not isolated.
In early April, Ukrainian President Zelensky announced the capture of two Chinese citizens fighting for the Ukrainian army, with intelligence indicating at least 155 Chinese individuals were involved in combat operations for the Russian army, possibly even more.
In response, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied these claims, while the Russian side called them baseless.
However, CNN discovered that the Russian army continues to release propaganda videos with Chinese subtitles on Chinese social platforms, promoting notions of masculinity to attract young recruits. For instance, “Are you not a man? Come be a real man!” These videos are still circulating online.
Michael clarified that he held no political stance, acting solely out of military instinct. Yet, after enduring the brutal realities of the battlefield, he cautioned fellow Chinese against joining such operations.
Another Chinese mercenary confirmed to CNN that he had returned to China after a year of service. Meanwhile, a young Chinese man who joined the Ukrainian army under the alias “Jason” stated that it was the aggressive behavior of the Chinese Communist Party toward Taiwan that drove him to participate in the conflict.
CNN concluded that regardless of which side they stood on, these Chinese individuals shared a common sentiment that war is far more brutal than what propaganda portrays.