Ukraine's security service says one of two Chinese citizens who were fighting for Russia claimed he was recruited in China by a Russian representative.



The announcement on Wednesday came after Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed that his country's troops captured the two Chinese nationals in the eastern Donetsk region.



Zelenskyy said at least 155 Chinese citizens have joined Russian troops. He accused Russia of recruiting Chinese fighters via social media and demanded China respond.



The Security Service of Ukraine said it questioned the Chinese men about how they joined Russian forces, and revealed their accounts of how it happened.



One of the men was quoted as telling investigators that he had been unemployed and was recruited in China by a Russian representative. He is said to have traveled to Moscow in February and signed a contract with the Russian military.



The other man reportedly told investigators that he entered Russia in December as a tourist. He allegedly joined Russian troops after responding to an online recruitment ad that promised a payment of 2 million rubles, or about 23,500 dollars.



Both men were allegedly captured on their first combat mission. Ukrainian officials plan to continue their investigations on the suspicion that the men participated in war crimes.