India Secures Release of 139 Citizens From Russian Army

The Ministry of External Affairs of India announced on July 31, 2026, that 139 Indian nationals have been released from the Russian Army. The government is continuing efforts to secure the release of approximately two dozen remaining Indians reported to be serving in the Russian military.

This development follows reports from December that 202 Indians were recruited into the Russian armed forces. Many of these recruits alleged they were lured to Russia through fraudulent construction job offers, only to be deployed to combat roles in the Ukraine war, specifically in the Donetsk region. These events resulted in over two dozen deaths and several missing persons.

In response to the crisis, the Supreme Court of India directed the Ministry of External Affairs to appoint a nodal officer to coordinate with the families of citizens who were killed, injured, or went missing during their service in Russia. Government officials have issued warnings to citizens against accepting risky job offers from unscrupulous agencies.