8 Indians killed after joining Russian military, government tells Parliament
The Indian government has confirmed the deaths of eight Indian nationals serving in the Russian military, which is twice the previous count acknowledged by the Ministry of External Affairs. This information was disclosed to the Rajya Sabha by Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, in a written reply. Singh also revealed that 63 Indians have sought early discharge from Russia's armed forces, while the exact number of recruited Indian nationals remains unknown.
Indian nationals serving as support staff in Russian Army
According to Singh, most of the recruited Indians were serving in support roles such as cooks and helpers, accompanying their units to the warfront. "Information available currently indicates that 12 Indian nationals have already left the Russian armed forces," Singh stated in response to a query from Aam Aadmi Party MP Sandeep Kumar Pathak.
Recruitment of Indians in Russian military sparks controversy
The disclosure came barely weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the subject during his interaction with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Following the meeting, India's foreign ministry said Russia promised an early release of all Indian citizens fighting in its army. Indians stranded in Russia claim they were deceived by agents who offered them money and a Russian passport. Most of these men came from poor families and were promised positions, sometimes as "helpers" in the Russian army.
Families of the men appealed to the government for help
The families of the men had requested help from the Indian government in order to facilitate their return home. In June, the Indian government had also demanded a "verified stop" to further recruitment of its citizens into the Russian Army. The foreign ministry described this as a "matter of deep concern" and stated that it was "pressing very hard with the Russian authorities" to bring back its citizens.
