NEW DELHI: With Indians dying in the Russia-Ukraine war, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said India has conveyed to Russian officials that Indians who are in the war zone, regardless of how they have reached there, should be brought back.
While addressing a special briefing on Wednesday, he said, “As far as this issue is concerned, we have been in continuous and extensive discussions with Russian officials, the Russian system, Russian leadership, and other parts of their system from day one”.
“Our extensive efforts to keep Indians safe include conveying to Russian officials clearly that Indians who are in the war zone, regardless of how they have reached there, should be brought back. Efforts have been made in collaboration with domestic agencies to stop such illegal recruitment”, he added.
According to MEA reports, two Indian nationals who had been recruited by the Russian Army have recently been killed in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.In response, India offered its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and said, “Our Embassy in Moscow has pressed the Russian authorities, including the Ministry of Defence, for early repatriation of mortal remains”.
“The Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Moscow have strongly taken up the matter with the Russian Ambassador in New Delhi and with Russian authorities in Moscow, respectively, for the early release and return of all Indian nationals who are with the Russian Army”, MEA said in a statement.
Further, the Foreign Secretary also said that the Indian government is taking this seriously. We are tracking how a person reached the war zone, and we are regularly in touch with Russia. “I want to assure you that the Government of India has taken this issue very seriously. Whenever we have received information that a particular Indian is currently in the war zone, immediate action has been taken on that information”. Vinay Kwatra said
“Contact has been made with the family, how the individual reached there has been ascertained, and discussions have been held with Russian officials to share information with them about the individual. Our efforts in this regard will be continued with strength”, he added. (ANI)