NEW DELHI: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Friday that 139 Indian nationals have been released from the Russian Army till now, and work is underway to get the remaining two dozen Indians released soon.
"We have been following up with the Russian side for the release of the remaining Indian nationals in the Russian army. So far, our efforts have led to the release of 139 Indian nationals; we continue to pursue the release of the remaining two dozen Indian nationals who are reportedly in the Russian army," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated during a bi-weekly media briefing.
He also cautioned people regarding accepting job offers that include risk and are made by shady people or organisations.
"Once again, we would like to caution our people against job offers that are fraught with risk and made by unscrupulous individuals and agencies," the spokesperson reiterated.
The Ministry said in December that 202 Indian nationals were believed to have been recruited into the Russian armed forces. Concerted efforts by the government have resulted in early discharge of many while over two dozen had reportedly lost their lives and some were reported missing by the Russian side.
In September 2025, the MEA had issued a stern advisory cautioning Indian nationals against joining the Russian Army, amid reports that several Indians who had travelled to Moscow were being pushed into combat roles in the Ukraine war.
The advisory followed a report in a leading newspaper, which stated that two Indian men, in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, alleged they were lured to Russia under the pretext of construction jobs but were instead deployed on the frontline.
Speaking over the phone from Selydove, a town captured by Russia in November 2024, they claimed that at least 13 more Indians were trapped in similar conditions.
The report stated that the two had travelled to Russia in the past six months on student or visitor visas. They alleged that an agent who promised them employment in the construction sector had misled them and sent them directly to the battlefield.
