A week after news that an Indian citizen from Kerala, Binil TB, died fighting for Russian forces in the Ukraine war, Andriy Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, told TOI Kyiv had no confirmation of the participation of Indians in Russian forces. Speaking to Indian journalists virtually from Kyiv, Yermak acknowledged that citizens of other nations had been duped into fighting for Russia in the war.
“We know about North Koreans. It is public. We know about Cubans. Unfortunately, these people are lied to and then they appeared in Russia. When we have confirmation that some citizens of another country participated on the side of Russia, we have worked very properly, very openly through diplomatic channels and informed the respective country it’s not right. It’s against good relations between countries.”
Binil and others like him were either promised jobs in Europe or were put onto employment in Russia’s military support services by middlemen. At a press briefing last week, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said there were 126 cases of Indians serving in the Russian army, of which 96 had been discharged and returned to India. However, 12 Indians serving in the Russian forces have died in the ongoing war and the whereabouts of 16 others are not known.
Yermak also sought India’s support in bringing back Ukrainian children forcibly deported by Russia. According to Kyiv, around 20,000 children had been forcibly taken from Russian-occupied territories, separated from their relatives, and pushed into Russia’s vast foster-care and adoption system.
“I think it’s possible to increase the pressure on Russia and to find new strategies to bring the kids back. The children have to be back without any conditions. President Zelenskyy discussed with Prime Minister Modi this issue, and he said that India is ready to participate, and Indians are ready to be involved in this process to help to bring back Ukrainian children.”
“We know about North Koreans. It is public. We know about Cubans. Unfortunately, these people are lied to and then they appeared in Russia. When we have confirmation that some citizens of another country participated on the side of Russia, we have worked very properly, very openly through diplomatic channels and informed the respective country it’s not right. It’s against good relations between countries.”
Binil and others like him were either promised jobs in Europe or were put onto employment in Russia’s military support services by middlemen. At a press briefing last week, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said there were 126 cases of Indians serving in the Russian army, of which 96 had been discharged and returned to India. However, 12 Indians serving in the Russian forces have died in the ongoing war and the whereabouts of 16 others are not known.
Yermak also sought India’s support in bringing back Ukrainian children forcibly deported by Russia. According to Kyiv, around 20,000 children had been forcibly taken from Russian-occupied territories, separated from their relatives, and pushed into Russia’s vast foster-care and adoption system.
“I think it’s possible to increase the pressure on Russia and to find new strategies to bring the kids back. The children have to be back without any conditions. President Zelenskyy discussed with Prime Minister Modi this issue, and he said that India is ready to participate, and Indians are ready to be involved in this process to help to bring back Ukrainian children.”