New Delhi, Sep 26 (UNI) At least 27 Indian nationals are presently serving in the Russian army, and the Indian government is trying to get them released and repatriated, the MEA said today.
The MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said: “Recently we have learned that some more Indians have joined the Russian army. We learnt of this through their families. We have taken the issue up very strongly again with the Russian government and the Russian embassy here.”
“There are around 27 Indians there, and we have urged for their release, and we are trying to get them repatriated,” he said. “We are also in close touch with their family members in the matter.
“We once again strongly urge all Indian nationals to stay away from the offers being made to serve in the Russian army as they are fraught with danger and risk to life,” he added.
He referred to the September 11 advisory which the MEA had issued following reports of Indian nationals being duped into serving on the Russian side in the Ukraine conflict.
He had said then that India has taken up the matter with the Russian authorities, both in Delhi and Moscow, “asking that this practice be ended and that our nationals be released”.
The statement had come amid reports that 15 Indians had gone to Moscow on student or visitor visas in the past six months. They had been hired by an agent to work as construction workers but ended up in the war zone.
