China Secretly Trained Russian Military in Chemical Defense and Nuclear Reactor Operations

European officials note that the involvement of such high-ranking military officers in the process caused serious concern in Europe.

Under Belousov’s order, a delegation of the Russian Armed Forces traveled to China for training at facilities of the People’s Liberation Army of China.

The report describes in detail one such course—a three-week program on radiological, chemical and biological protection that took place at a military facility in Beijing in November.

The documents, according to Reuters, contained descriptions and photographs of the classes. They show a Chinese instructor lecturing Russian servicemen, who study a model of a nuclear reactor and practice skills in “chemical reconnaissance,” “radiation reconnaissance” and protecting ventilation systems from contamination.

According to Reuters, China trained about 200 Russian servicemen in November. Some of them were later deployed in the war against Ukraine.

European officials name Russian Major General Rustam Khusainov and Chinese Senior Colonel Sun Daiyun as the signatories of the basic agreement of July 2 under which the training was organized.

Andrei Kartapolov, head of the State Duma Defense Committee, called the reports of training “complete nonsense” and said Russian servicemen had nothing to learn from China.

However, internal reports from Russia’s military department that came into journalists’ possession analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the courses in detail.

The report on classes in Nanjing, for example, highly rates the level of equipment, the use of simulators and the instructors’ theoretical training. At the same time, it separately notes the PLA’s key weakness—China’s lack of combat experience.

According to Reuters, the Russian delegation was headed by Colonel General Rustam Muradov, deputy commander-in-chief of Russia’s Ground Forces.

On the Chinese side, Major General Li Jinsun, head of the PLA Military Academy of Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defense, took part in the opening of one of the courses.

The documents also mention Russian Major General Vitaly Gerasimov, who, according to the materials, completed one of the training courses at a base in Bengbu.