India confirms 44 citizens serving in Russian army; urges Moscow for release, warns against recruitment amid frontline casualties. Photo: X.
India has confirmed that the number of Indian nationals currently serving with the Russian military has risen to 44, following fresh recruitment in recent months. The government said it is actively engaging with authorities in Moscow to secure their release and to halt the recruitment of Indian citizens into Russia’s armed forces.
During a weekly media briefing on Friday, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Indian officials are in continuous contact with Russian authorities regarding the issue.
“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.”
Earlier, Indian officials had estimated the number to be 27. The matter has gained urgency after at least 12 Indians were reported killed while fighting on the frontlines in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
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Jaiswal said New Delhi has once again urged Moscow to release the Indian nationals at the earliest and to end the recruitment practice.
“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 added.
He reiterated the government’s advisory cautioning Indian citizens against accepting offers to join the Russian military.
“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,” he stated.
Indian law enforcement agencies have already initiated action against individuals and networks involved in facilitating recruitment into the Russian Army.
Authorities continue to pursue such cases to ensure that Indian nationals “are not tricked into joining such risky endeavours,” Jaiswal noted.
Recent reports have suggested that more than a dozen Indian men from Kashmir, Punjab and Haryana were compelled to serve in Russian military units stationed near the frontlines. Many of them reportedly travelled to Russia on student or business visas before being recruited.
The Indian government has discussed the matter at high levels, most recently during External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s visit to Moscow in August.
According to official figures, close to 170 Indians have so far been recruited by the Russian military. Of them, 96 have been discharged, while another 16 have been declared missing
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Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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