Several Indians, who worked as support staff to the Russian army, were 'discharged' following India's demand, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. It said India remains committed, as a matter of 'top priority', to actively pursuing with the Russian authorities all the relevant cases of Indian nationals for an early discharge from the Russian army.
According to media reports, several Indians have been working as security helpers in the Russian military, and they were forced to even fight with Russian soldiers in certain areas along Russia's border with Ukraine.
'We have seen some inaccurate reports in the media regarding Indians with the Russian army seeking help for discharge,' the MEA said in a statement. 'Each and every such case brought to the attention of the Indian embassy in Moscow has been strongly taken up with the Russian authorities and those brought to the attention of the ministry have been taken up with the Russian embassy in New Delhi,' it said.
The MEA added, 'Several Indians have already been discharged as a result.' Meanwhile, a 23-year-old man from Surat working as a 'helper' for the Russian Army was killed in a Ukrainian missile strike in a war zone, as per the claim made by his relatives.
Relatives of the deceased, Hemil Mangukiya, urged the Central government to help them get back his mortal remains. Hemil had made a Whatsapp call to his family members in Surat on February 20, and on the next day, he was killed near the Ukraine border in a missile strike by Ukraine, claimed his uncle Suresh Mangukiya.
In a related development, the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association said it wrote to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, seeking their intervention for repatriation of two youths 'trapped' in Russia. It said one youth is trapped along the Russia-Ukraine border and another reportedly missing within Russia.