The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday told Parliament that of the 202 Indian citizens believed to have been recruited into the Russian military, 26 had been killed and seven are missing.
One hundred and nineteen persons have been discharged from service, Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh said in response to a question in the Rajya Sabha.
Efforts are being made to secure the release of the remaining 50 persons, he added.
The external affairs ministry has repeatedly issued advisories warning Indian citizens against joining the Russian military. New Delhi contends that many are duped by unscrupulous agents and are often hired as support staff, such as cooks and helpers, amid Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Russia began its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, triggering the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II.
The Russian defence ministry stopped recruiting Indians in April 2024, according to the country’s embassy in New Delhi. However, contracts for military service have delayed the release of several Indians.
The ministry and Indian diplomatic missions in Russia have been assisting citizens discharged from the Russian Army for their return to India by facilitating their travel documents and providing them with air tickets, Singh said.
“The Indian mission in Russia has also assisted with the task of evacuation of mortal remains,” Singh said. “Once the mortal remains are shifted to a safe zone, the identification process involves matching of DNA samples with the next of kin.”
The discharge of Indian citizens is discussed bilaterally at several levels, including during interactions between leaders, ministers and officials, he added.
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