49 of 217 Indians killed while fighting from Russian side against Ukraine, SC told
New Delhi: In India, the Modi government has told the Supreme Court that 49 Indian nationals have been killed while fighting for the Russian Armed Forces in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, highlighting the desperation caused by rising unemployment and poverty in the country.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the government submitted a status report stating that 217 Indian nationals had joined the Russian army after being lured by promises of high salaries and Russian citizenship. The report said 139 have been released following diplomatic engagement, while 49 lost their lives, six are missing, and the whereabouts of 23 remain unknown.
The report was filed in response to a petition seeking repatriation of 26 Indian citizens allegedly detained in Russia and forced to fight. The government said 14 of them were reported dead, 11 notified as “missing in action” or not in contact with families, and one imprisoned for eight years on molestation charges.
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati told a Bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant that DNA samples of families of 21 missing individuals had been sent to Russian authorities for identification of remains. She said all cases were being pursued on priority.
The report stated that many Indians were recruited after being promised a signing bonus of around USD 5,000, a monthly salary of about USD 2,500, and compensation of USD 168,000 in case of death. The Indian Embassy has facilitated the return of mortal remains in eight cases, with procedures underway for one more.
