India’s External Affairs Ministry on Monday (Feb 26) said that several Indians have been discharged from the Russian Army after New Delhi’s persistent intervention. The response came in the wake of media reports that claimed Indians in the Russian army are seeking help for discharge amid the war in Ukraine.
The external affairs ministry tacitly acknowledging that several Indians have served and are serving in the Russian army at present.
“We have seen some inaccurate reports in the media regarding Indians with the Russian army seeking help for discharge,” it said.
“Each and every such case brought to the attention of the Indian Embassy in Moscow has been strongly taken up with the Russian authorities and those brought to the attention of the Ministry have been taken up with the Russian Embassy in New Delhi. Several Indians have already been discharged as a result,” the External Affairs Ministry said in an official readout.
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The Indian foreign ministry’s latest statement comes three days after it urged Indians to “stay away from conflict” after reports emerged about some Indian nationals being ‘forced to fight’ for Russia with allegedly fraudulent travel agents facilitating it.
“We remain committed, as a matter of top priority, to actively pursuing with the Russian authorities all the relevant cases of Indian nationals for an early discharge from the Russian army,” the Indian foreign ministry said on Monday (Feb 26).
MEA on Indians in the Russian Army:
-Each & every such case brought to the attention of the Indian Embassy in Moscow has been strongly taken up with the Russian authorities
-Several Indians have already been discharged as a result pic.twitter.com/r8dXteknDw
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) February 26, 2024
Indians in Russian Army: What is the row about?
Last week, a report claimed that dozens of Indians were promised support jobs inside the Russian territory but were enlisted in the Russian military by fraudulent travel agents. These Indian nationals reportedly received misleading translations of the documents and underwent military training against their understanding.
The family members of one such Indian national from Hyderabad had sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government in the matter. The family members of the person, identified as Sufiyan, approached the Member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi, who then wrote to the External Affairs Ministry to ensure the safe return of the trapped Indian nationals.
