Overview

• India’s External Affairs Ministry issued a fresh advisory calling offers to join the Russian military “fraught with danger.”
• The government said it has taken up the matter with Russian authorities in both capitals, urging an end to the practice and the release of Indian nationals, and is in touch with families.
• Reporting by The Hindu cited at least 15 Indians in Russian-held Selydove, Donetsk, who say they were lured on student or visitor visas with promises of construction jobs and sent toward the front.
• Official figures presented to Parliament on July 24 said 127 Indians had served in Russian forces, 98 were discharged, 13 remained and 12 of those were reported missing; missions facilitated returns for those released.
• Russia previously stated it had stopped admitting Indians and was coordinating discharges, yet new accounts of deceptive recruitment and forced deployment continue to surface.