China denies Russia has asked for military aid

US officials say Russia has asked China for military aid to support their invasion of Ukraine, adding to fears that Beijing's help might undermine efforts by the West to help Ukrainian forces defend their country, according to the BBC.

However, China's embassy in Washington says it is not aware of the request. A spokesperson for China's embassy in Washington said he had "never heard of that."

The US has said China will face harsh "consequences" if it does help Russia, according to media reports.