45 Indians drafted into Russian army released, efforts to rescue 50 more continue

45 Indians who were deceived into joining the Russian army have now been released (objective)

Moscow:

Forty-five Indians who were illegally forced to join the Russian army and fight for it on the fronts against Ukraine have been rescued from the war zone and discharged from the Russian military, the Russian Foreign Ministry said today.

Another 50 Indian nationals are still trapped in the battlefields of the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war. Efforts are on to rescue and release them as well, the Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson added.

During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Modi had assured that Russia would release all Indians who were inducted and wrongly conscripted into the Russian army and subsequently forced to go to the battlefields in Ukraine.

HOW INDIANS WERE SEDUCED INTO JOINING THE RUSSIAN ARMY

A trafficking network stretching from New Delhi to Tamil Nadu used social media platforms and local agents to lure people to Russia with lucrative jobs or access to what the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) calls “dubious private universities”.

However, when they arrived in Russia, the victims had their passports taken away and were trained for combat missions before being sent to the front.

About one hundred Indian citizens are in such a situation and at least four Indians have already been killed in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Indian police have arrested at least four people involved in the job scam.

A video circulated online earlier this year showed a group of men from Punjab and Haryana dressed in army uniforms claiming they had been tricked into waging war in Ukraine and doubling their plea for help.

New Delhi has said that every case brought to the city's attention will be discussed “vigorously” with Russia to ensure an “early release” of the stranded people. Ten Indians have been repatriated so far as part of these efforts.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said that “the toughest legal action” would be taken against agents who had lured Kerala students to fight for Russia in the war against Ukraine.

“It is totally unacceptable that an Indian is taken to a conflict zone and forced in any way to work for a conflict, for an army…” Mr Jaishankar had said earlier this year.

Prime Minister Modi raises issue with Vladimir Putin

During his visit to Moscow in July, Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue with President Vladimir Putin, following which Russia decided to fire all Indians working in the Russian army.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had promised Prime Minister Modi that Russia would do everything in its power to bring back the Indians who were misled into participating in the war in Ukraine.