Rounds of Chinese ammunition have been used in the battlefields in Ukraine, and are suspected to have been fired by Russian forces, said sources from the United States government on Friday.

According to a report by Kyodo News on Saturday, the sources said it is unclear whether the ammunition was supplied by China, but an analysis by the US government of the ammunition’s composition confirmed its Chinese origin.

The type of ammunition found was not disclosed. The sources added that Washington is ready to take action if the shipments are verified to be made by China.

US officials have been claiming that Beijing is contemplating sending lethal aid, including ammunition and artillery, to Russia for the war in Ukraine, though this has been strongly denied by Beijing.

“It’s something that we are vigilant about and continuing to watch carefully,” a US State Department official told Kyodo News.

News of Chinese ammunition being used in the battlefields of Ukraine comes as China’s President Xi Jinping is expected to travel to Moscow for a three-day state visit from Monday.

It will be Mr Xi’s first trip to Russia since its invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. It will also be the Chinese leader’s first overseas trip after winning his third presidential term earlier this month.

Without mentioning the war in Ukraine, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said the objective of the visit is to further deepen bilateral trust between both countries and promote “peace”.

A Russian official said th...