Foreign secretary Vikram Misri announced on Monday that 85 Indian nationals who were recruited by the Russian military have been released thus far, and authorities are currently in the process of securing the release of an additional 20 citizens.
People familiar with the matter have indicated that the discharge of the remaining Indians is anticipated to be discussed during a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin on the outskirts of the Brics Summit in the Russian city of Kazan on Tuesday.
New Delhi has identified the release and repatriation of Indian nationals who are employed as support staff with Russian military units, including cooks and helpers, as a critical issue in the wake of the deaths of at least nine Indians on the front lines of the Ukraine war.
Modi addressed the matter during his most recent meeting with Putin at the annual India-Russia Summit in Moscow in July. During a media briefing regarding Modi’s visit to Russia for the Brics Summit, Misri stated that the Indian government is in “very close contact” with Russian foreign and defense ministry officials regarding the “issue of Indians who were, illegally or otherwise, contracted into fighting in the Russian Army.”.
“We are currently under the impression that approximately 85 individuals have returned from Russia, based on the available information. Regrettably, we have also received the remains of individuals who perished during the conflict,” he stated.
“We are urging our interlocutors to expedite the discharge of all Indians who are still serving in the Russian Army, as we are aware that there are nearly 20 individuals who are still serving.”
The Russian embassy in New Delhi announced in August that the recruitment of Indian nationals into Russia’s armed forces was halted in April. The authorities are currently working to expedite the discharge of Indians who “voluntarily contracted for military service.”
The Indian side has claimed that numerous Indians who were recruited into the Russian military were deceived or misled by unscrupulous recruitment agents.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has initiated criminal proceedings against 19 entities and individuals for their purported involvement in the recruitment of Indians. Additionally, the agency has executed numerous arrests.
