49 Of 217 Indians Who Joined Russian Forces To Fight Ukraine War Dead : Union To Supreme Court
Russia Ukraine Monitoring Desk Islamabad
The Indian government informed the Supreme Court that 217 Indian nationals were recruited into the Russian Armed Forces during the Ukraine conflict. Through diplomatic intervention, 139 have been discharged and released, but 49 have been killed, 6 remain missing, and the status of 23 others is unknown.
A bench of CJI Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul M Pancholi was hearing a writ petition filed by family members of 26 Indian nationals, who were allegedly forced into the Russian-Ukrainian war.
The government continues to urge its citizens to avoid offers for Russian military service, as many have been lured by fraudulent recruitment agencies promising high-paying helper jobs, only to find themselves on the front lines. India has sent DNA samples of immediate family members to Russian authorities to aid in identification and tracing.
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, for the Union, placed the aforementioned information before the Court. She further conveyed that out of the 26 nationals whose family members have approached the Court, 14 have lost their lives, 11 are MIA (missing in action) and 1 is incarcerated in a criminal case. The ASG added that the mortal remains of 8 Indian nationals who lost their lives in the war have been handed over to the families and DNA matching is going on.
Counsel for the petitioner, on the other hand, claimed that the bodies which were being handed over to the families were mutilated to an extent that they were unrecognizable. He further stated that Russia is willing to compensate the aggrieved families (Rs.1.5 crores plus Rs.40000 pension per month), but the efforts are not being followed up.
The ASG however said that the Union was facilitating in this regard also through consular and diplomatic measures. CJI Kant also commented, “we don’t know who is promising…if they want to give pension, let them give…who is stopping?”
When the petitioner’s counsel questioned the Union’s endeavors by pointing out that the status report was filed only last night, the ASG took an objection and lamented that an attempt was being made to sensationalize the matter.
Ultimately, the bench re-listed the matter, giving liberty to the petitioners to file a response to the status report. With regard to any consequential benefits to which the subject nationals or their family members may be entitled, the Court said that the persons may file claims, which shall be considered by the authorities in accordance with law.
On the last date, the Court had directed the Ministry of External Affairs to file a detailed status report on the steps taken. According to the Union, many of the individuals had entered into voluntary contracts with Russian entities, though there were also instances where agents may have misled them.
The Indian presence in the Russia-Ukraine war spans two main categories: students and expatriates trapped in the conflict zones, and Indian nationals recruited into the Russian Armed Forces.
Recruitment into the Russian Military
Scores of Indian nationals have been lured to Russia by fraudulent agents offering high-paying “security” or “helper” jobs, only to be forced into combat zones in Ukraine. The Indian Government successfully intervened to discharge 139 citizens.
However, the crisis remains severe; 49 Indians have died in the conflict, 139 remain discharged, and six are still missing. Indian authorities continue to issue advisories warning citizens against unauthorized military enlistment.
Civilian Casualties and Expatriates
The war has also directly impacted Indian civilians living and working in Russia. For instance, an Indian national was killed and three others were injured in a massive Ukrainian drone strike in the Moscow region, highlighting how long-range drone warfare is endangering foreign workers.
Prior to this, tens of thousands of Indian nationals, primarily students, were evacuated from Ukraine by the Indian Government under Operation Ganga
