Around a month after the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) informed that 27 Indians are serving in the Russian Army and it is pressing for their release, the government has confirmed a sharp rise in casualties involving its nationals serving with the Russian armed forces. 26 Indians have been reported killed and seven are missing, according to a statement tabled in Parliament.
Unon Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, shared the numbers, marking the most comprehensive official accounting so far of Indian citizens caught up in the Russia–Ukraine conflict.
The figure significantly exceeds earlier acknowledgements by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), which had previously confirmed the deaths of 12 Indians. Earlier this year, the MEA informed Parliament that 127 Indians had joined the Russian armed forces. Of them, 98 were discharged after sustained diplomatic efforts.
How many Indians were recruited by the Russian military?
The government informed Parliament that 202 Indian nationals are believed to have been recruited into the Russian armed forces. Of these, 119 have been discharged early following diplomatic efforts by New Delhi, while 50 individuals are still awaiting release. “The Ministry has provided assistance in repatriation of mortal remains of 10 deceased Indian nationals to India, and local cremation of two deceased Indian nationals.”
Despite repeated assurances from Moscow that recruitment of foreign nationals had been halted, the issue continues to surface as a sensitive diplomatic concern between the two countries.
The MEA, along with the Indian Embassy in Moscow and other missions in Russia, has been actively assisting affected families and discharged personnel. Indian missions have also helped discharged soldiers return home by arranging travel documents, air tickets and logistical support, and have assisted in evacuating bodies from conflict-affected areas.
How is India handling identification of the deceased and missing?
Given the complexity of battlefield conditions, the identification of deceased Indians has required DNA verification. The government said DNA samples of family members of 18 Indians reported dead or missing have been shared with Russian authorities to establish identities.
Once remains are moved to safe zones and identities confirmed, the Indian Embassy assists families with documentation for either local cremation or transportation of bodies back to India.
Why did this disclosure come now?
The parliamentary reply came shortly after media reports that the bodies of two Indian nationals from Rajasthan and Uttarakhand, who died while serving with Russian forces, arrived in Delhi. The revelations followed questions raised by Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale and Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala, seeking clarity on the fate of Indians recruited into the Russian military.
The government said it remains continuously engaged with Russian authorities at multiple levels, including leader-level, ministerial and official interactions, to ensure the safety, well-being and early discharge of all Indians serving in the Russian armed forces.
While Russian officials have maintained that the Russian Army does not formally recruit Indian nationals, Moscow has acknowledged the issue as a concern. In a November 2025 interview, Russian Ambassador Denis Alipov described the matter as “serious to both sides,” adding that those who signed contracts had done so voluntarily.
A growing international concern?
The continued presence of Indian nationals in the Russian military highlights the broader risks faced by foreign citizens drawn into the Ukraine war, often through unclear recruitment channels. For New Delhi, the issue has become a delicate mix of consular responsibility, humanitarian concern and diplomatic engagement.
Earlier in October 2025, reports of an Indian man in his early 20s surrendering to the Ukraine Army had emerged. Ukraine’s 63rd Mechanised Brigade reported the surrender of an Indian national who had been fighting on the Russian side. A video released by the brigade showed the individual, who identified himself as Majoti Sahil Mohamed Hussein, a 22-year-old from Morbi, Gujarat.
The footage shows Hussein speaking in Russian, explaining how he came to be on the battlefield, and why he surrendered to Ukrainian forces. According to Hussein’s own account, he had initially travelled to Russia for higher education. However, he claimed to have been sentenced to seven years in prison on drug-related charges.
Facing incarceration, he said he was offered a way out by signing a contract with the Russian military to join the war effort in Ukraine. This tactic is part of a growing trend of coerced or incentivised recruitment used by Russian forces, particularly targeting foreign nationals caught in legal or financial distress.
Meanwhile, India has reiterated its commitment to pressing for the early discharge of the remaining Indian nationals, continued identification of the missing, and support to affected families.