"The Chinese training of Russian soldiers has been confirmed by our services," the high-ranking EU official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The official said the training was happening in several locations in China and that "hundreds" of troops were involved.

"China has trained Russian soldiers, some of whom have also been deployed in the war directly against Ukraine," the official said.

Several media outlets reported last month that European intelligence agencies believed China had trained Russian troops who were sent to Ukraine.

Germany's Die Welt newspaper cited classified documents that said the training focused primarily on the use of drones and electronic countermeasures, with many ending up in Ukraine.

China has claimed neutrality since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but the allegations of training bolster suspicions that Beijing has offered more support to its Russian allies than publicly disclosed.

Ties between China and Russia have strengthened since the Kremlin launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with Beijing refusing to condemn Moscow's war.

The EU has sanctioned multiple Chinese companies for allegedly supplying material to the Russian military.

EU ministers and leaders are to debate the bloc's relations with China in meetings next week.