These men are attracted to Russia by employment agencies and social media influencers, who promise a good salary in low-skilled jobs such as drivers, plumbers, electricians and cooks.
Russia has already managed to recruit close to 100 Indians to fight for the Kremlin against Ukraine, in a situation that displeases the New Delhi government.
These men, the newspaper says, are attracted to Russia by employment agencies and social media influencers, who promise a good salary in low-skilled jobs such as drivers, plumbers, electricians and cooks.
The issue returned to the agenda after the death of Binil Babu, a 32-year-old electrician from the state of Kerala. Babu is the tenth Indian killed in combat by Russia in Ukraine. , he had been asking for months to be released from the Russian forces
This death prompted a strong response from Narendra Modi’s executive.
“The matter has been vehemently raised with the Russian authorities in Moscow as well as the Russian embassy in New Delhi. We also reiterate our demand that the remaining Indian citizens be quickly released,” India’s Ministry of External Affairs wrote in a statement issued on Tuesday.
The Russian side guarantees that it has not committed any illegality. “The Russian government has never been involved in public or shadowy campaigns, especially in fraudulent schemes to recruit Indian citizens for military service in Russia,” read a note published on August 10 last year by the Russian embassy in the Indian capital.
According to an Indian government source, in December there were still 19 Indian citizens fighting for Russia on the front line.
