The Chinese prisoner has a fearful expression as his Ukrainian captors train a video camera on him. He speaks in Mandarin, the common language of his homeland. His green uniform is like any regular soldier’s. But is it proof that China is fighting alongside the Russian army?
This is a hybrid war and while China has not disputed the facts, the boundaries of truth are cloaked in deniability. The incident – astutely publicised by Ukraine just as America is in a trade showdown with China – has illuminated the shadows of a very modern conflict.
