China denies it asked Russia not to invade Ukraine during Winter Olympics

Beijing dismisses as fake news' claims that Chinese officials had some knowledge of Russia's plans

China has vehemently denied a report that it asked Moscow to delay its invasion of Ukraine until after the Winter Olympics, denouncing it as fake news".

This kind of rhetoric is to divert attention and shift blame, which is utterly despicable," Wang Wenbin, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, said on Thursday when asked by journalists about the New York Times report published on Wednesday.