Lured with money

Confirmed: Indians working for Russian army

Two Russian soldiers remove mines in the Ukrainian town of Avdiivka, which was captured by the aggressor state.

(Bild: ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Following reports of Indians being deployed on the Russian side of the Ukraine front, the Indian government has confirmed that Indian nationals have signed up for "support work" with the Russian army.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs admitted on Friday that "some Indian nationals have accepted support work in the Russian army". The ministry did not confirm the involvement of Indians in Russian combat operations.

The daily newspaper "The Hindu" had reported on Wednesday that around 18 Indians were stranded in various border towns along the Russian-Ukrainian front. According to the report, at least three of them were "forced" to fight alongside the Russian soldiers. According to the newspaper report, the Indians were recruited by Dubai-based brokers and lured with high wages and a Russian passport.

We urge all Indian nationals to exercise caution and stay away from this conflict.

Indisches Außenministerium

Indians trained in the use of weapons
According to the report, the Indians were first trained in the use of weapons and ammunition by the Russian army in Moscow and then brought to the front in January. One of the recruits told the newspaper that his "repeated requests" to the Indian embassy in Moscow to return home had remained "unanswered".

According to the newspaper report, this is the first known case of alleged involvement of Indians on the side of the Russian army. Previously, only a few Indian nationals had volunteered to serve in the Ukrainian army.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs stated that the Indian Embassy had "regularly raised this matter with the relevant Russian authorities" in order to secure an early release of its nationals. "We urge all Indian nationals to exercise caution and stay away from this conflict," it added.

Two years of war in Ukraine
Saturday marks the second anniversary of the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. After more than a year of deadlocked fighting, Moscow is once again going on the offensive in eastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian soldiers are currently also suffering from a lack of ammunition - partly due to the delay in further military aid from the USA. His country is in an "extremely difficult" situation at the front, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently said.