(DailyDig.com) – On June 11, Vinay Kwatra, the Indian foreign secretary, confirmed that the Indian government had asked the Russian government to return the citizens they had recruited for their army, expressing serious concern. On the front lines of the fighting between Russia and Ukraine, two Indian citizens lost their lives.
The Indian embassy has also asked that Russia return the remains of the two Indian citizens as soon as possible.
When the war between Ukraine and Russia broke out, some Indian citizens, about 18 individuals, were trapped near the Ukraine and Russia border. Some of those Indians have asserted that the Russian army misled them into joining them. They claim that Russia told them that they would only be helpers in the army, but soon after their enlistment, the army confiscated their passports and forced them to fight.
According to a Russian Ministry of Defense official, they recruited nearly 100 Indian citizens and informed them about the responsibilities and risks involved. The official stated that the Indians provided their full consent before joining the army, and they received a salary for their service.
Since the war with Ukraine began in February 2022, India has stood with Russia, considering them an ally from the Cold War. During that time, they cooperated with Russia in its space exploration, nuclear and oil energy, and defense. India did not vote against Russia in the United Nations (UN) vote that criticized President Putin.
Other nations with citizens serving in the Russian army have initiated negotiations with Russia to repatriate their citizens, following the deaths of some of them in the conflict with Ukraine. Both Sri Lanka and Nepal are submitting these requests to Russia, with Sri Lanka asserting that they received false promises of Russian benefits if they enlisted.
Kwatra said that India is continuing to discuss the matter with Russian leadership for the return of their citizens, especially those in the active war territories.
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