India affirms that its people “enlisted” in the Russian army

The Indian foreign ministry said on Friday that it was coordinating with Moscow to ensure that some of its personnel were released from their “support jobs” in the Russian army.

About eighteen Indians were said to be stuck at different border towns near Russia’s front lines in Ukraine on Wednesday, according to a report published in the Hindu daily.

The newspaper said that at least three had been “forced” to battle with the Russians.

The foreign ministry refuted reports that Indians were participating in combat operations during the crisis. However, it made a statement stating that it was “aware that a few Indian nationals have signed up with the Russian army” for support tasks.

“The Indian Embassy has regularly taken up this matter with the relevant Russian authorities for their early discharge,” said the statement.

“We urge all Indian nationals to exercise due caution and stay away from this conflict.”

According to a story in The Hindu, recruiters located in Dubai allegedly tricked Indians into working for them by offering them a Russian passport and hefty earnings.

The Indians were sent to the front lines in January after being trained to handle “arms and ammunition by the Russian Army” when they arrived in Moscow.

Although there have been reports of Indian nationals volunteering for Ukrainian forces in the ongoing battle, this is the first recorded instance of their suspected engagement on the other side, according to the publication.

One of the guys had informed the newspaper that the Indian Embassy in Moscow had “unheeded” his “repeated pleas” for return.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has acknowledged that the situation in Ukraine is “extremely difficult” two years after Russia’s invasion started.

The obstruction of US aid, the counteroffensive against a more powerful and well-equipped army, and the deteriorating ammunition shortages have all contributed to Ukraine’s weakness.