At least 20 Indians who have been trapped in Russia Ukraine war zone have sent the SOS to the Indian authorities, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday. The government acknowledged that some of the Indians have been stuck on the frontline serving in the Russian Army to fight in Ukraine’s eastern flank.

MEA, however, clarified that it is in touch with the Russian government to get the details of the exit figure of the Indians fighting in Russia Ukraine war. India is trying its best to bring the Indian men home, the MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

‘Each and every case brought to attention of Indian embassy in Moscow’

Scores of Indian men were duped on the pretext of jobs in Russia and were recruited to fight in the Ukraine war. Footages emerged showing the Indian men appealing for help and intervention to bring them back home from the battlefields. In a statement, the External Affairs Ministry said that the Indian government has  regularly been in talks with the authorities in Moscow to ensure “early discharge” of all the Indian nationals who joined the Russian armed forces and have been “seeking help for discharge.” 

“Each and every such case brought to the attention of the Indian embassy in Moscow has been strongly taken up with the Russian authorities,” the MEA said, adding that several cases brought to the attention of the ministry have been taken up with the Russian embassy in New Delhi.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, dozens of Indians "have already been discharged as a result,” MEA added. The External Affairs Ministry reiterated that India remains committed, “as a matter of top priority to actively pursuing with the Russian authorities all the relevant cases of Indian nationals for an early discharge from the Russian army.” India’s ministry has often urged the Indian nationals to stay away from the 2-year-long grinding war between Russia and Ukraine, and has been in discussion with Moscow for the release of some Indian nationals who have been working in the Russian army in the "support jobs.”  

As many as 6 Indians recorded a video claiming that they had been sent to the frontline in an unknown location to fight in the war after a recruiter duped them in Dubai. The distraught family members appealed to felicitate their return after the four Indians, dressed in military fatigue, said that they were stuck in the Russian army and had no idea where two of their colleagues were taken by the military. The men were found to be recruited in the Kremlin-linked mercenaries group PMC Wagner.