MUMBAI (Reuters) – One Indian national apparently recruited by the Russian army has been killed while another was receiving treatment for injuries at a hospital in Moscow, the Indian foreign ministry said on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has “strongly taken up” the matter with Russian authorities in Moscow and with the Russian Embassy in New Delhi while reiterating its demand for the early discharge of remaining Indian nationals serving in the Russian army, the ministry said in a statement.
“We are working with the Russian authorities for early transportation of the mortal remains to India,” the ministry said. “We have also sought the early discharge and repatriation to India of the injured person.” Both came from the southern state of Kerala, it said.
Indian police in May arrested four people linked to a network of human traffickers on suspicion of luring young men to Russia with the promise of lucrative jobs or university places only to force them to fight in the war with Ukraine.
After the deaths of Indian nationals last year in the war, New Delhi demanded that there be a verified halt to recruitment of Indian nationals by the Russian army and urged Indians to exercise caution while seeking employment in Russia.
About 45 Indian nationals were discharged from the Russian army and efforts were underway to get a further 50 released, India’s foreign ministry said in September.
(This story has been refiled to fix the spelling of ‘army’ in the headline)
(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly; editing by Ros Russell)
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