139 Indians freed from Russian Army, 24 remain: MEA warns against shady job offers

NEW DELHI: India is continuing to engage with Russia to secure the release of the remaining Indian nationals serving in the Russian military, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) said on Friday, adding that 139 Indians have been brought back so far.Addressing a weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the government has been consistently taking up the matter with the Russian authorities."We have been following up with the Russian side for the release of the remaining Indian nationals in the Russian army. So far, our efforts have led to the release of 139 Indian nationals. We continue to pursue the release of the remaining two dozen Indian nationals who are reportedly in the Russian army," Jaiswal said.He also cautioned Indian citizens against falling prey to fraudulent overseas job offers, saying many such recruitment drives are carried out by unscrupulous individuals and agencies."We would like to caution our people against job offers that are fraught with risk and made by unscrupulous individuals and agencies," he said.MEA to appoint nodal officer to coordinateThe Supreme Court on Friday directed the ministry of external affairs (MEA) to appoint a nodal officer to coordinate with the families of Indians who died, were injured or went missing after joining the Russian military during the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.A bench also asked the MEA to facilitate DNA matching of family members with the mortal remains of those killed in the conflict and assist them in filing compensation claims with the Russian Embassy in New Delhi. The court further directed that all relevant information be provided to the affected families in their respective vernacular languages.The issue came to light after several Indian nationals were allegedly recruited by agents on the promise of lucrative jobs in Russia but were later sent to serve in the Russian military amid the ongoing conflict with Ukraine. India has repeatedly urged Moscow to facilitate the early discharge and repatriation of its citizens.The Centre had earlier informed the Supreme Court that Russian authorities had lured foreign recruits with attractive financial packages, including a signing bonus of around USD 5,000, a monthly salary of $2,500, promises of Russian citizenship, social benefits and compensation of around USD 168,000 in the event of death.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.