• durgesh dubey
• 09 Aug, 2024

Russia

On Friday, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar reported that the government is awaiting the release of 69 Indians recruited into the Russian army, noting that there are indications many of these individuals were misled. Addressing the Lok Sabha, Jaishankar highlighted the government's serious concern over the recruitment of Indian nationals into the Russian army and the issue of cyber crime trafficking to Southeast Asia.

Jaishankar detailed that there are currently 91 cases of Indian nationals being recruited into the Russian army. Among them, eight have died, 14 have been discharged or returned, and the release of the remaining 69 is still pending. The minister emphasized that the Indian government is taking the matter seriously, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi raising the issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their recent meeting.

The minister explained that Russian authorities claim these Indian nationals entered into service contracts with the Russian army. However, Jaishankar stated that the Indian government believes many were misled into joining the army under false pretenses, being promised different jobs.

Jaishankar also mentioned that the Prime Minister secured assurances from Putin that any Indian nationals currently serving in the Russian army would be discharged and released. Regarding actions taken, the CBI has filed a criminal case against 19 individuals and entities involved in the recruitment process, with evidence against 10 known human traffickers. Some of the accused have been arrested.

Jaishankar responded to AIMIM member Asaduddin Owaisi's questions about the steps taken against those misleading youth into joining the Russian army and whether India would reconsider purchasing discounted oil from Russia if the situation is not addressed. The minister stressed that the primary goal is to ensure the release of the 69 Indian nationals, emphasizing that Indian citizens should not be serving in foreign armies.