Eight Indians have been killed while serving in the Russian armed forces while another 63 are seeking early discharge. The details were shared by the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday amid growing furore over those ‘duped’ into joining the Russian army. The development also comes mere days after 22-year-old Ravi Moun was killed while ‘fighting against Ukraine’ after being hired as a ‘driver’ in Russia.
“12 Indian nationals have already left the Russian armed forces while another 63 individuals are seeking early discharge. Eight deaths have been reported where the citizenship of the deceased has been verified as Indian,” the MEA told the Rajya Sabha.
The remarks came mere weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi touched upon the issue during an interaction with his Russian counterpart in Moscow . The meeting with Vladimir Putin had also seen the two leaders “openly” discuss the ongoing Ukraine war. Meanwhile the MEA has sought the early discharge of Indian nationals duped into working for the Russian Army.
Russia is believed to have hired thousands of foreign soldiers to bolster its ranks — including hundreds of Indians. Several of these civilians have been killed in the ensuing months with family members alleging that they were inducted under false pretenses and eventually sent to fight against Ukraine.
“Ravi went to Russia on January 13. An agent sent him to Russia for a transportation job. However, he was inducted into the Russian Army. My brother was to go to the frontline to fight against Ukrainian forces or face 10 years in jail. He was trained to dig trenches and later sent to the frontline. We remained in touch with him till March 12 and he was quite upset,” said his brother Ajay Moun.
A recent statement from the MEA indicated that PM Modi had been “given assurance” about their repatriation during his recent meeting with Putin.
The Indian government had demanded a "verified stop" to further recruitment after two of its citizens were killed in early June. MEA has issued several calls for Moscow to tackle the situation, dubbing it a matter of “utmost concern”. The foreign ministry had indicated last week that it was working with Russian authorities to facilitate the return of around 50 Indians fighting alongside the Russian army.
(With inputs from agencies)
