The Union government has informed the Supreme Court that 217 Indians joined the Russian forces amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, with 49 confirmed dead and six missing in action. The government is making efforts through the Indian Embassy to repatriate the 139 individuals who have been released from military service, according to reports by Dhananjay Mahapatra.
Aishwarya Bhati, appearing on behalf of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), stated that Russia has confirmed six Indians are missing, while the status of 23 others remains uncertain. In response to complaints from relatives of those serving in the Russian military regarding a lack of government support for repatriation, Bhati emphasized that the Indian Embassy is in constant communication with Russian authorities to verify and confirm the cases of reported deaths, actively assisting those eligible to return to India.
The government has provided 48 air tickets under the Indian Community Welfare Fund to facilitate repatriation. Bhati explained that many Indians were attracted to the Russian army due to lucrative offers that included an upfront signing bonus of approximately $5,000 and a monthly salary of $2,500, along with promises of Russian citizenship, social security benefits, and compensation of $168,000 in the event of death.
Notably, two Indian students, Kishore Saravanan and Sahil Mahamadhusen Majothi, reportedly joined the military as a means of obtaining amnesty while serving prison sentences for drug-related offenses. Saravanan was released due to Indian government intervention but chose to stay in Russia and accept citizenship. Majothi reportedly surrendered to Ukrainian forces, and the government is addressing his situation with Ukrainian authorities. Bhati mentioned that Russian officials declined to recruit Ashim Kumar Chatterjee from Kolkata because of Indian government intervention.
Although the petitioner’s counsel received a status report more than a week before the hearing, the lawyer indicated that the report was only delivered the day prior. Bhati criticized attempts to sensationalize the issue and assured that support is being provided to the families of the deceased for claiming compensation from Russian authorities. Of the four compensation claims submitted through the Indian Embassy, one family has received compensation, while three other independently submitted claims were also approved.
To aid in identifying missing personnel and recovering remains, DNA samples from immediate family members of 21 individuals have been collected and sent to Russian authorities with the assistance of the Indian government. Additionally, the government reported that out of 26 individuals referenced in the petition, 14 have died, 11 are categorized as missing in action according to Russian authorities, and one individual is currently imprisoned for eight years on molestation charges, having been arrested in April of last year and sentenced in February of this year. Russian authorities have informed the Indian government that recovering remains from the conflict zone is not feasible at this time.
