War against Ukraine: Russia has discharged Indian “helpers”, says MEA
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday said several Indians who went to Russia as “helpers” but were allegedly drafted with the Russian Army fighting in Ukraine, have already been discharged.
It said the early discharge of Indians from the Russian Army is a matter of top priority.
Rejecting some media reports that the Indians working with the Russian Army had sought help for discharge, the MEA said that “every case” has been strongly taken up with the Russian authorities.
According to media reports, several Indians working as security helpers in the Russian military were forced to even fight with Russian soldiers in certain areas along Russia’s border with Ukraine.
“We have seen some inaccurate reports in the media regarding Indians with the Russian Army seeking help for discharge,” the MEA said in a statement.
“Every such case brought to the attention of the Indian Embassy in Moscow has been strongly taken up with the Russian authorities, and those brought to the attention of the Ministry have been taken up with the Russian Embassy in New Delhi. Several Indians have already been discharged as a result,” the statement added.
The MEA said that it remains committed and that the early discharge of Indians from the Russian Army is a matter of top priority. “We remain committed, as a matter of top priority, to actively pursuing with the Russian authorities all the relevant cases of Indian nationals for an early discharge from the Russian army,” the statement read.
Last week, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi was in touch with Moscow for early discharge of Indian nationals working as support staff to the Russian army and urged its nationals to stay away from the conflict zone in Ukraine.
“We urge all Indian nationals to exercise due caution and stay away from this conflict,” Jaiswal said.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi had earlier urged the MEA to rescue the Indians.
“Sir @DrSJaishankar kindly use your good offices to bring these men back home. Their lives are at risk & their families are justifiably worried,” Owaisi said on X on Wednesday last week.
Both Russia and Ukraine have lost hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians in the ongoing war which started with the Russian invasion of its neighbor on February 24, 2023. Russia had even drafted a reserve army and civilians to make up the numbers in its depleting military, and was reported to have recruited “volunteers” from other countries as well.
