45 Indians trapped in Russian army freed after PM Modi’s intervention, 50 more people to return soon

New Delhi| The 45 Indians trapped in the Russian army have been freed after the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Indian Foreign Ministry said 45 Indians had been relieved of duty from the Russian military and efforts were underway to repatriate about 50 others soon. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a media briefing that 35 of the 45 Indians have been relieved after Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin in July.

The issue of Indians recruited into the Russian army has emerged as a stalemate in India-Russia relations. PM Modi had strongly raised the issue of early release of Indian citizens serving in the Russian Army during his talks with Russian President Putin in Moscow during his visit to Russia in July. After this, the President of Russia ordered his army officers to complete this work soon.

Indian youth were taken there by pigeon palters by offering them good jobs in Russia, after which they were recruited into the Russian Army, where they were fighting a war with Ukraine. When many Indian youth expressed their pain by sharing their videos, this issue reached Prime Minister Narendra Modi. After this, an initiative was started to free them. Jaiswal said six Indians returned two days ago and many others would return home soon. Jaiswal said, more than ‘‘50 Indian citizens are still serving in the Russian army, for whom we are trying to free them from work as much as possible.”