The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has asked Russia for the early release of Indian nationals working in “support jobs” for the Russian army, cautioning Indian nationals to avoid the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This follows a report last Friday from the MEA.
The spokesperson of MEA, Randhir Jaiswal, in response to queries regarding “Indians caught in conflict in Russia,” clarified, “We are aware that a few Indian nationals have signed up for support jobs with the Russian army. The Indian Embassy has regularly taken up this matter with the relevant Russian authorities for their early discharge. We urge all Indian nationals to exercise due caution and stay away from this conflict.”
This statement follows reports about Indians stranded amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict. According to a report by The Hindu, approximately 18 Indians have been stranded in border cities like Mariupol and Kharkiv since November 2023 with one casualty reported. This presented the first known instance of Indians being on the Russian side in combat, contrasting with earlier instances of Indians joining the International Legion to fight against Russians in Ukraine in 2022. See the full report here.
During a media briefing on February 8, Jaiswal reiterated India’s neutral stance on the ongoing conflict. “Our position on the war is very clear where we are. We want a dialogue and diplomacy to prevail. Our leaders have articulated our position on several accounts. That is where it is. We provided our humanitarian support to Ukraine, and we continue to call on the parties to come forward to dialogue and discussion,” Jaiswal stated. The full media briefing can be seen here.
The Russia-Ukraine conflict, which began in 2014, saw a significant escalation on February 24, 2022, leading to a full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia.