At least 51 Indian nationals recruited into the Russian armed forces have died amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
ANI reported that while responding to a question on Indians serving in the Russian military, Misri said the government has information on 227 Indian nationals who were recruited into the Russian army. Of these, 139 have been discharged, while 51 have died.
“The issue of our nationals and citizens being recruited into the Russian armed forces has been discussed between India and Russia at various levels on multiple occasions,” Misri said.
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He added that the Indian embassy in Moscow is monitoring the situation and remains in discussions with Russian authorities for the release and repatriation of the remaining Indians.
“We remain in active discussions with the Russian side to ensure that any remaining cases are discharged at the earliest so that we can return these individuals to their families as soon as possible,” Misri said.
According to NDTV, India has repeatedly raised the issue with Moscow, seeking the release of Indians who were recruited into the Russian military, including those working as support staff such as cooks and helpers.
The Ministry of External Affairs has also cautioned Indians against accepting risky overseas job offers. On August 1, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal urged people to stay away from job offers that are fraught with risks and allegedly made by unscrupulous individuals or agencies.
Jaiswal had earlier said that India's efforts had resulted in the release of 139 Indian nationals, while the government continued to pursue the release of around two dozen Indians who were reportedly still with the Russian army.
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Meanwhile, the Supreme Court had directed the Centre to appoint a nodal officer in the Ministry of External Affairs to coordinate with families of Indians who have died, gone missing or suffered injuries while fighting in the Russia-Ukraine war.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, was hearing a plea concerning Indian nationals allegedly recruited into the Russian military after being duped by travel agents.
The plea seeks the return of mortal remains, compensation for affected families and a coordinated mechanism to assist those impacted by the conflict.
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