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Number of Indians serving in Russian Army rises to 44 despite warnings, says MEA
Indian law enforcement authorities have acted against people involved in recruiting Indian nationals for the Russian Army, and they continue to pursue the matter
NEW DELHI: India on Friday acknowledged that the number of Indian nationals serving in the Russian Army has risen to 44 due to recruitment in recent months, and said it has taken up the matter with Russian authorities to end the practice.
The Indian side is in touch with Russian authorities to ensure the speedy release of Indian nationals currently serving with the Russian military, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a weekly media briefing.
Indian officials had earlier said there were 27 Indians serving in the Russian Army, though Jaiswal pointed to more recruitments in recent months. The matter has acquired urgency as at least 12 Indians have been killed while fighting on the frontlines of Russia’s conflict with Ukraine.
“In the last few months, we have been informed of several Indian nationals who have been recruited in the Russian army,” Jaiswal said. “As per our understanding, there are 44 Indian nationals presently serving in the Russian army.”
The Indian side has again taken up the matter with Russian authorities to have the Indian nationals “released at the earliest and also to put an end to this practice”, he said.
“We are in touch with the Russian side. We are also in touch with the families of these people and giving them an update on the matter,” he said.
Jaiswal reiterated the Indian government’s warning for Indians to “stay away from offers being made to serve in the Russian army, because it is an offer that is fraught with danger to life”.
“We have said this so many times. In spite of our repeated reminders, people continue to enlist. If somebody wants to do it, we cannot stop him but we continue to press that you must be aware of the dangers that are there once you sign up for these jobs,” Jaiswal said.
Indian law enforcement authorities have taken action against people involved in recruiting Indian nationals for the Russian Army, and they continue to pursue the matter so that people “are not tricked into joining such risky endeavours”, he said
Recent reports had suggested that more than a dozen Indian men, mostly from Kashmir, Punjab and Haryana, had been forced to join Russian Army units deployed on the frontlines in the war with Ukraine. Most of these men travelled to Russia on student and business visas.
The Indian government has repeatedly raised the issue with the top leadership in Moscow, most recently during external affairs minister S Jaishankar’s visit to Moscow in August.
According to official figures, the number of Indians recruited by the Russian military is now close to 170. While 96 were discharged by Russian authorities, another 16 have been listed as missing.
