NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday confirmed the death of a Kerala man serving in the Russian army amid the ongoing conflict with Ukraine. Meanwhile, the foreign ministry said that another recruit from the southern state was injured and receiving treatment in Moscow.
The ministry said that the matter had been taken up with the Russian authorities and added that “we have also reiterated our demand for the early discharge of the remaining Indian nationals.”
“We have learnt of the unfortunate death of an Indian national from Kerala who had apparently been recruited to serve in the Russian Army. Another Indian national from Kerala, who was similarly recruited, has been injured and is receiving treatment in a hospital in Moscow,” ministry of external affairs said in a statement.
“We offer our deepest condolences to the family of the deceased. Our Embassy in Moscow is in touch with the families, and all possible assistance is being rendered. We are working with the Russian authorities for early transportation of the mortal remains to India. We have also sought the early discharge and repatriation to India of the injured person,” it added.
The ministry, however, did not name the victims.
Binil Babu, 31, an electrician and plumber, along with his Jain Kurien, 27, an automobile mechanic, traveled to Russia on April 4 last year with assistance from a relative. Although their agent had promised them canteen jobs, those opportunities never materialized. As a result, they were compelled to obtain Russian citizenship and enlist in the Russian army.
Last year in December, Babu and Jain informed their families that they were being sent to the warfront and might not return, prompting multiple interventions for their release. The head of the Orthodox Syrian Church, Baselios Marthoma Mathews III Catholicos, personally raised the issue with the Russian Ambassador to India. Reports of Babu’s death started circulating last Wednesday.
Also read: Kerala man feared killed in Russia-Ukraine conflict, kin await official info