April 9th, 2025: Chinese Fighters Captured In Ukraine & CIA’s New War on Fentanyl
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What Chinese involvement has been discovered in the Ukraine conflict?
It's Wednesday, the 9th of April. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right, let's get briefed. We'll start things off on the battlefields of Ukraine, where reports indicate that Chinese nationals have been captured fighting alongside Russian forces. President Zelensky is sounding the alarm and says there may be more where they came from. Later in the show, a report says that the CIA is weighing whether it can target and kill drug traffickers overseas. The mission? Well, that would appear to be self-evident. Stop the flow of fentanyl and other deadly drugs before they ever reach American streets. Plus, Trump's DHS, the Department of Homeland Security, is now telling migrants who legally entered the U.S. using former President Biden's CBP One app to now leave the country immediately. The reversal throws thousands of individuals into limbo. And in today's back of the brief, Beijing may be preparing to strike back at Trump's tariffs by blocking American movies from Chinese theaters.
Oh, no, they might not be able to see Minecraft, a shift that could cost Hollywood billions. China is the second largest market of moviegoers on the planet. But first, today's PDB Spotlight. We'll start today with some surprising news from the front lines of the war in Ukraine. Two Chinese nationals fighting alongside Russian troops have been captured by Kyiv's forces, and officials warn that there are likely many more. The incident has raised alarm bells, of course, in Kyiv, as the two Chinese soldiers were captured on Ukrainian territory while engaged in combat in the Eastern Donetsk region. A number of documents were found in their possession, including IDs and bank cards containing personal data, though Ukrainian officials have not said whether they believe the men were acting on orders from Beijing. That's according to a report from Politico. But Ukrainian President Zelensky is demanding answers from the Chinese Communist Party. Well, good luck with that.
His foreign minister summoned China's envoy to Ukraine on Tuesday to provide an explanation, saying it, quote, puts into question China's declared stance for peace and undermines Beijing's credibility as a responsible permanent member of the UN Security Council, end quote. Hmm, if only there were a clue as to where China stands in regards to Putin's war in Ukraine. I mean, aside from the CCP propping up his war machine through their significant economic support over the past three years. If there were just other clues. Zelensky said that their intelligence suggests there are, quote, much more than just two Chinese citizens in the occupier's units. He added, quote, Russia's involvement of China directly or indirectly in this war in Europe is a clear signal that Putin is going to do anything but end the war. He's looking for ways to continue fighting, end quote. Zelensky called on the US and allies in Europe to hold China accountable.
That's bound to happen, saying the presence of Chinese nationals on the battlefield directly jeopardizes current efforts to negotiate a peaceful settlement to the conflict. As our listeners are likely aware, China has tried to position itself as a neutral mediator between Ukraine and Russia, but has long been accused of covertly, or not so covertly, backing the Russian war effort.
How is China’s support influencing Russia’s military efforts?
First, as mentioned, there's China's direct economic support of the Putin regime. Back in February 2022, just days before Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine, China and Russia agreed to a quote, no limits partnership that many say has enabled Putin's aggression. This partnership is credited with greatly accelerating the rebuilding and maintenance of Russia's defense industrial complex, filling the gap left by former European trade partners. The CCP has also done everything short of directly supplying weapons systems to Russia. Instead, they've provided computer chips, advanced software, and dual-use technological components that have military applications, including for drones. This support has allowed Putin to rapidly patch holes in the beleaguered military and keep the war machine going. Neither China nor Russia has provided comment on the captured Chinese nationals, though an official with the U.S.
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Chapters
7 chapters
1
What Chinese involvement has been discovered in the Ukraine conflict?
0:12–3:46
2
How is China’s support influencing Russia’s military efforts?
3:46–9:05
3
What role are North Korean troops playing in the Ukraine war?
9:05–12:51
4
What are the latest developments in the CIA’s war on fentanyl?
12:51
5
How is the US government changing legal status for migrants using the CBP One app?
8:42
6
What are China's potential retaliatory measures against US tariffs affecting Hollywood?
7:05
7
Who is Mike Baker and what is The President's Daily Brief?
0:12–21:21
Speakers
4 identifiedMore from The President's Daily Brief
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