dChan - Q Origins Project Archive

China 'asked Putin to delay invasion of Ukraine until after Winter Olympics'

2 March 2022 • 10:41pm

China asked Vladimir Putin to delay any invasion of Ukraine until after the Winter Olympics in Beijing, according to a Western intelligence report.

It suggests officials in China may have had some indication of Mr Putin's plans before he went ahead. Beijing denied the assertion as "baseless speculation" and an "attempt to smear China".

A Western official told the New York Times the report did not make clear if it was Putin and Xi Jinping who discussed the matter, or some of their officials.

The Olympic closing ceremony took place on Feb 20. On the following day Putin recognised two breakaway areas in Ukraine and sent troops in to help separatists.

Then, on Feb 24, the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine began.

Earlier, at the start of the Olympics, Putin visited Mr Xi and they signed a strategic partnership aimed at countering US influence.

In a joint statement at the time Russia and China said there were "no 'forbidden' areas of cooperation".

China has taken an ambiguous stance on the conflict and government officials have refused to condemn Russia or call it an "invasion".

However, on Wednesday, there were hints that Beijing’s support for Moscow’s war was waning.

more at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2022/03/02/china-asked-putin-delay-invasion-ukraine-winter-olympics/