Russia Denies ‘Fraudulent Schemes’ In Indians’ Recruitment In Army, Says Working On ‘Early Identification & Discharge’

The Russian Embassy issued a statement over the Indians in the Russian army, wherein it said that the agencies of both the nations are working to identify and discharge the remaining nationals soon.

The Russian Embassy said in its statement that it is working to identify and discharge the remaining Indian nationals recruited in the Russian Armed Forces.

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A day after External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar apprised the Parliament of the current situation of Indian nationals recruited in the Russian army, the Russian Embassy in New Delhi issued a statement regarding the matter, saying that it was working on their early identification and discharge. It also expressed condolences over the demise of eight Indians who have been killed so far as 69 others await their return.

"The Embassy expresses deep condolences to the Government of India and the families of the deceased," the statement read.

Russia assured that it is working in close coordination with the agencies in India in order to indentify and discharge the remaining Indian nationals who "voluntarily contracted for military service".

"All contractual obligations and due compensation payments will be fulfilled in full measure," the Embassy said in its statement.

Furthermore, the statement noted that the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation had stopped the admission of citizens of several countries, including India to render military service in its armed forces since April.

Stressing that Moscow did not engage in any schemes to recruit Indians for military, the embassy reiterated: "The Russian Government has at no point of time been engaged in any public or obscure campaigns, more so in fraudulent schemes to recruit Indian nationals for military service in Russia."

This comes after multiple reports of dozens of Indians being duped by agents into fighting war for Russia began surfacing since February, when a man from Gujarat and another from Telagana reportedly died in the war. The agents misled Indian nationals and hired them as helpers in the military forces. But later they were posted to the battlefied on the pretext of providing them training.   

Indian Govt Raised Matter With Russia 'Very Very Seriously'

During a parliamentary session on August 9, Jaishankar stated that there are a total of 91 cases of Indians who were recruited into the Russian army. After eight of them passed away and 14 others managed to return to India somehow, there are 69 other Indians who are still stuck in the army, waiting to be released.

Jaishankar asserted that the Indian government has taken this matter "very very seriously" and raised it with the Russian foreign minister.

He also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself had brought up the issue with President Vladimir Putin during his visit to Russia.

"He got President Putin's assurance that any Indian national who is in the service of the Russian army will be discharged and released," the External Affairs minister said.

Jaishankar also said that New Delhi does "not necessarily" agree to what Russian authorities have been saying about the recruitment of Indians.

"The Russian authorities maintain that these Indian nationals entered into contracts for service with the Russian army. We do not, we are not necessarily subscribing to that. I think in many cases, there are reasons to indicate that our nationals were misled, that they were being told that they were going for some other job and that they were then deployed with the Russian army," he said.