(ConservativeInsider.org) – On Tuesday, June 11, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs announced the death of two Indian nationals who joined the Russian Army were killed in the war between Russia and Ukraine. Now, the Indian embassy in Moscow has requested the swift return of their remains so they may be buried in their home country.
When the war between Russia and Ukraine began in February of 2022, 18 Indian nationals were stranded within Russia or close to the Russian border. They, and other Indian nationals who were living in Ukraine at the time, alleged that they were convinced to join the Russian army under false pretenses. Once they agreed to become “army helpers,” their passports were confiscated by the Russian government, and they were forced into fighting on the front lines. Vinay Kwatra, the foreign minister of India, said they are now requesting the return of all Indian citizens who were recruited to join the Russian army.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, 100 Indian citizens were recruited to join the Russian Army after being fully informed about the risks they faced. The Russian Defense Ministry also claims that the recruited Indians were fairly compensated for their service. India has pushed back on these claims, demanding that Russia stop recruiting Indian nationals for their war, and urging caution to any Indian citizens who may be considering employment in Russia.
Back in May, four people were arrested by Indian police in connection to a human trafficking network suspected of luring men to Russia, promising lucrative jobs or placement at Russian universities, only to be forced into fighting in Russia’s war.
Other South Asian countries have entered talks with Russia to end recruitment of their people to fight in the Russian war, alleging similar deceptive tactics from the Russian military. Sri Lanka and Nepal have both lost over a dozen citizens who were recruited to join the Russian cause under false pretenses.
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