India said on Tuesday that two of its citizens, who were recruited by the Russian army, were recently killed in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, raising the death toll to four.
“We offer our deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. Our embassy in Moscow has pressed the Russian authorities, including the Ministry of Defense, for an early repatriation of the mortal remains,” the MEA said in an official statement on Tuesday.
According to the statement, MEA has taken up the issue of early release and return of all Indian citizens who are in the Russian Army.
“The Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Moscow have firmly taken up the issue with the Russian Ambassador in New Delhi and with the Russian authorities in Moscow, respectively, for the early release and return of all Indian citizens who “They are with the Russian army,” the MEA said.
The MEA, in its statement, has clearly urged Indian citizens to exercise caution while seeking employment opportunities in Russia amid the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
“India has also demanded a verified end to any further recruitment of our citizens by the Russian military. Such activities would not be in line with our partnership,” he said.
“We also urge Indian citizens to exercise caution while seeking employment opportunities in Russia,” the MEA added.
In March this year, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that India is constantly in touch with Russian authorities to release and discharge Indian nationals from the Russian army at the earliest.
When asked about updated information about Indians who were deceived by agents and sent to Russia to join the army, Randhir Jaiswal stated: “With regard to Russia, as I also told you earlier, we are constantly in touch with the Russian authorities. we have resumed. “We strongly ask that our citizens be released and discharged as soon as possible.”
Recently, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) busted a major country-wide human trafficking network that targeted Indian citizens with the promise of offering them lucrative jobs abroad, but allegedly sending them to the war zone. between Russia and Ukraine.
The central agency has conducted simultaneous searches at around 13 places in Delhi, Trivandrum, Mumbai, Ambala, Chandigarh, Madurai and Chennai.
The CBI stated that these traffickers have been operating as an organized network and were luring Indian nationals through social media channels like YouTube, etc., and also through their local contacts/agents for highly paid jobs in Russia.