New Delhi: During his Moscow visit in July 2024, PM Narendra Modi had told Russian President Vladimir Putin that the Indians kept in his army should be released as soon as possible. Putin had promised that this would be done. But despite more than two months having passed, the return of about six dozen Indians is not possible. A major reason for this is said to be the Russian Defense Ministry not canceling the agreement made regarding the services of these Indians.

Apart from India, people from Nepal-Sri Lanka are also included

Diplomatic sources aware of the matter have said that the Russian Defense Ministry cannot issue a notice to cancel agreements only for Indians. After the start of the war with Ukraine, apart from India, people from Nepal, Sri Lanka and other countries have also been included in the Russian army. In such a situation, the Defense Ministry there does not want to pass a special order for just one country.

Contact with family members

Diplomatic sources do not rule out the possibility that the number of Indians actually serving in the Russian army could be higher. The 91 are Indians who themselves or whose family members have approached the Indian government. The Russian embassy in New Delhi had earlier said that there are very few Indians in its army and that the Russian government does not deliberately run any campaign to recruit Indians into its army.

It was also told that now no Indian is included in the Russian army. Seeing the complexity of the matter, this issue was raised by India in the top level talks.

In fact, apart from India, now many people from Nepal and Sri Lanka have also appealed to their respective governments that their family members have been recruited in the Russian army by giving them wrong information.

Information about return of 174 Nepalis to their homeland

Nepal's reputed newspaper The Kathmandu Post had published the news last week that so far 40 Nepali citizens have been killed while fighting on the Russian side. Meanwhile, information has been published about 174 Nepalis returning to their homeland. Just as Indians recruited in the Russian army have said that they have been recruited in the Russian army on the basis of wrong information, Nepali citizens have also made the same allegation.

30 Sri Lankan civilians killed

They say that middlemen agencies had sent them to Russia promising jobs abroad. After reaching there, they came to know that they have to help the Russian army. Similarly, the Russian army has banned hundreds of people from Sri Lanka. According to reports published in Sri Lankan media, 30 Sri Lankan citizens have died in the Russia-Ukraine war. So far, nine Indians have been reported to have died in the Russia-Ukraine war.