Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

India calls for release of Indians serving in Russian Army

Confirming the deaths of the two Indians, the MEA stated on Tuesday that India has strongly taken up the matter with Russia.

India calls for release of Indians serving in Russian Army

India's foreign secretary, Vinay Kwatra, said on Wednesday that they have been pressing Russia to ensure the safety and repatriation of its nationals employed by the Russian Army.

This announcement came a day after India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reported that two more Indians serving with the Russian military were killed in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, bringing the total number of Indian deaths to four.


"Since the first day, we have constantly been discussing this matter with the Russian authorities, the system, and the leadership," Kwatra said.

"All of our efforts are aimed at keeping the Indians safe," he added at a media briefing, responding to a question on the matter. "We have clearly told the Russian officials that all Indians in the war zone, however they got there is another matter, should be returned (to India)."

Confirming the deaths of the two Indians, the MEA stated on Tuesday that India has strongly taken up the matter with Russia and sought the early release and return of all Indian nationals in the Russian Army.

In a strongly-worded statement, it said India has demanded a "verified stop to any further recruitment of Indian nationals by the Russian Army" and stated that such activities are not in "consonance with our partnership."

The Foreign Secretary emphasised that New Delhi has taken the issue very seriously.

The government has taken immediate action upon receiving information about "Indians in the war zone."

Kwatra said, "We have contacted their families, examined how the individual reached (Russia), and asked Russian authorities to respond and this will continue."

In March, 30-year-old Hyderabad resident Mohammed Asfan succumbed to injuries sustained while serving with Russian troops on the frontlines with Ukraine.

In February, Hemal Ashwinbhai Mangua, a 23-year-old resident of Surat in Gujarat, died in a Ukrainian air strike while serving as a "security helper" in the Donetsk region.

The Russia-Ukraine war began in 2014, however, the major escalation came on February 24, 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Since then, there have been massive casualties on both sides.

Officials report that a total of 10 Indians working as support staff with the Russian military have been released and repatriated to India.

Reports indicate that around 200 Indian nationals were recruited as security helpers in the Russian military.

More For You

british-muslims-iStock

The study noted that this identification was not due to any doctrinal obligation but was influenced by the perception that many Muslims do not feel fully accepted as British. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Majority of British Muslims identify by faith first, study finds

A STUDY by the Institute for the Impact of Faith in Life (IIFL) has found that most British Muslims identify primarily with their religion rather than their nationality.

The research, based on a survey of 815 British Muslim adults by Whitestone Insight, revealed that 71 per cent of respondents identified as Muslim first, while 27 per cent identified as British, English, or Scottish first.

Keep ReadingShow less
Car Tax Changes: EV Owners Now Required to Pay for the First Time

Owners of electric vehicles registered on or after 1 April 2025 will pay £10 for the first year, followed by the standard VED rate of £195 from the second year. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Car tax changes take effect: EV owners to pay for first time

FROM today, 1 April 2025, electric cars, vans, and motorcycles in the UK will be subject to Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) for the first time.

The change, introduced in the 2022 Autumn Statement by former Conservative Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, aims to make motoring taxation fairer.

Keep ReadingShow less
scotland-minimum-wages-iStock

Full-time workers on the National Living Wage will receive an annual pay increase of £1,400 in real terms. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Wage increase takes effect for thousands of workers in Scotland

HUNDREDS of thousands of workers in Scotland will see a pay increase as new National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage rates take effect from Tuesday.

The changes will benefit approximately 220,000 people, according to STV News.

Keep ReadingShow less
uk-energy-bill-iStock

Water bills, energy prices, and council tax are rising, while the minimum wage has also increased (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

April bill increases put financial strain on single parents

A RANGE of essential household bills are increasing from April, with Citizens Advice warning that single parents will be among the hardest hit.

Water bills, energy prices, and council tax are rising, while the minimum wage has also increased, BBC reported.

Keep ReadingShow less
Netflix drama Adolescence to be screened in UK schools
Stephen Graham and Owen Cooper in 'Adolescence'
Netflix

Netflix drama Adolescence to be screened in UK schools

THE NETFLIX drama Adolescence will be shown in UK secondary schools as part of efforts to address harmful online influences on young boys, officials announced on Monday.

The show has sparked debate over the impact of toxic and misogynistic content on the internet. Prime minister Keir Starmer met the show's creators, charities, and young people at Downing Street, calling the initiative an important step in starting discussions about the content teenagers are exposed to online.

Keep ReadingShow less