The external affairs ministry said it took up the matter of Indian nationals being recruited to the Russian Army with relevant authorities in Moscow on Friday.
The spokesperson, during the weekly briefing, said that 10 Indians have been recently released from Russia and have been repatriated.
“So far 10 Indian nationals have been released and repatriated. This remains a matter of utmost concern for us and we expect action. We have also sought a verified stop to the recruitment,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
“We have taken up the matter with the Russian side for early release and repatriation of Indians recruited by the Russian army. We continue to be in touch with the Russian side, both in New Delhi and Moscow, on this issue,” he further added.
Jaiswal said that ‘four Indian nationals have been killed’ in the 2022 Russo-Ukrainian conflict so far.
“We are working with the Russian side for early transportation of the mortal remains of the two Indians who died recently. We are in touch with their family members as well.
The issue of Indians being duped or lured into fighting for the Russian Army surfaced when Gujarat resident Hemil Mangukiya who signed up to become a helper for the Russian army died in a missile strike earlier this year.
Reports by news agencies from earlier this year said that few Indians were being forced to fight alongside Russian troops.
The reports claimed that some Indians who had signed up as “security helpers” with the Russian army were forced to fight beside Russian troops along the border with Ukraine.
They also said that Indian citizens were stranded at several places along the Russia-Ukraine border, in the cities of Mariupol, Kharkiv and Rostov-on-Don.
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