The Narendra Modi government has informed the Supreme Court that 49 of the 217 Indians who joined the Russian Army during the Ukraine war were killed, and six were missing in action.
The government said the Indian embassy in Moscow was making efforts to bring back 139 Indians released from Russian military service.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), represented by Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, informed the Supreme Court’s bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant that the fate of 23 others remained unknown. When families of some Indians serving in the Russian forces complained the government was not helping with repatriation, Bhati told the court the embassy remained in constant communication with Russia for verification and confirmation of the remaining cases of reported deaths.”
She said 48 air tickets were provided so far under the Indian Community Welfare Fund, and the Indian embassy was actively assisting their return (of remaining persons) to India.
On reasons for a large number of Indians joining the Russian army during the Ukraine war, the government said Moscow had lured foreigners to serve in its military with lucrative packages, social security, compensation, citizenship offers, and remission of prison sentences.
“It appears that certain Indian nations voluntarily signed contracts to join the Russian army, lured by the attractive salary package that amounts to an upfront signing bonus of around $5,000 and a monthly salary of $2,500, in addition to the promise of Russian citizenship, social benefits, and compensation of $1,68,000 in case of death,” Bhati said.
Two Indian students, identified as Kishore Saravanan and Sahil Mahamudhusen Majothi, signed the military contracts to avail amnesty during their prison sentences in narcotics cases.
While Saravanan was released from the armed forces at India’s request, he continued to stay in Russia and took citizenship.
Majothi reportedly surrendered to Ukrainian forces, and New Delhi was taking up his matter with Kyiv.
Bhati said Russia had refused to recruit Ashim Kumar Chatterjee from Kolkata on India’s intervention.
The government had sent the status report on the Indians serving in the Russian military to the petitioner’s counsel a week ago. But the counsel said he had received it only on Thursday (May 21), a day before the court hearing.
Bhati intervened to submit to the court that the required assistance is being provided to families of those killed in action to claim compensation from Russia.
Of the four compensation claims submitted through the Indian embassy in Moscow, one family had already received it, while three others, who submitted independently, had their claims cleared and compensation paid by Russia.
“To facilitate the tracing of missing individuals and identification of mortal remains, DNA reports of immediate family members of 21 individuals have been collected and transmitted to Russian authorities with active facilitation by the Indian government,” Bhati said.
Of the 26 individuals mentioned in the petition, 14 had died, 11 were missing in action, and one was in prison for an 11-year term after being convicted on molestation charges, the government informed the court.
It also informed the court that the extraction of mortal remains of Indians killed in action in the war zone was not possible at present