49 Indians who joined Russian army dead, 139 freed after diplomatic efforts: Centre to SC

The Union government on Friday informed the Supreme Court that 49 Indian nationals who had joined the Russian Armed Forces during the Russia-Ukraine conflict have died, while 139 others have been discharged from their contractual engagements following diplomatic intervention by India.

The Centre also told the court that six Indian nationals have been confirmed missing.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi was hearing a writ petition filed by relatives of 26 Indian nationals who allegedly ended up fighting in the Russia-Ukraine war after being coerced or deceived into joining the Russian military. According to the government, a total of 217 Indian nationals had enlisted with the Russian Armed Forces during the conflict.

In its submission, the Centre said a large number of those involved had voluntarily entered into contracts with Russian entities. However, it acknowledged that in some cases, recruitment agents may have misrepresented the nature of the work or misled individuals who later found themselves deployed in the conflict zone.

The government’s update came amid continuing efforts to trace, secure the release of, and repatriate affected Indian nationals caught up in the war.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Ukrainians marched through Kyiv on Friday, 22 May demanding that the government veto a Bill that families of missing soldiers fear could lead to their loved ones being declared dead before their fate is confirmed.

The protesters rallied against Bill No. 13646, which addresses the legal status of missing persons. Participants argued that provisions in the Bill could allow courts to legally declare missing Ukrainian military personnel dead before definitive information about their fate is available.

“Today all the families came out so that the missing are not equated with the dead,” said Mariana Yatselenko (27), who joined the demonstration in Kyiv.

According to Ukraine’s commissioner for missing persons Artur Dobrosierdov, more than 90,000 people are listed in the country’s unified registry of persons who disappeared under special circumstances.

The registry covers people who went missing during combat, as a result of armed aggression or in occupied territories, mainly since Russia’s full-scale invasion began on 24 February 2022. But some cases date back to 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea and pro-Russian forces began fighting in eastern Ukraine. Launched in May 2023, the registry includes both military personnel and civilians whose disappearances were recorded in earlier years.

The protest is part of growing pressure from relatives of missing soldiers, with similar demonstrations having taken place previously over the Bill. The developments came as fighting between Russia and Ukraine continued on several fronts.

Russian authorities said Ukrainian drones struck a college dormitory in Starobilsk, in the Russian-occupied Luhansk region, killing four people and injuring 39 others. Officials said up to 18 people could still be trapped under the rubble. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov condemned the strike as a “heinous crime”, while Ukrainian officials did not immediately comment.

Russia’s defence ministry said it intercepted 217 Ukrainian drones across multiple regions, including the Moscow region and St Petersburg. Ukraine, meanwhile, said it had struck Russia’s Yaroslavl oil refinery for the fourth time this month. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the overnight operation was part of Kyiv’s effort to target Russian energy infrastructure used to finance the war.

Ukraine’s air force said it shot down or jammed 115 of 124 Russian drones launched overnight during continuing bombardments that have intensified in recent months.

In the northern Sumy region, police said 11 people, including a child, were wounded in Russian attacks. In the southern city of Kherson, regional officials said a man was killed in a Russian drone strike.

The United Nations said verified Ukrainian civilian casualties rose 21 per cent in the first four months of this year compared with the same period last year, with 815 civilians killed and 4,174 injured.

In Washington, the Trump administration approved a USD 108 million arms package for Ukraine aimed at sustaining its medium-range air defence capabilities. The US State Department said the sale includes Hawk ground-to-air missile components, spare parts and logistical support, even as military assistance under President Donald Trump has been reduced.

On the battlefield, western analysts say Ukrainian counterattacks have driven Russian forces out of more than 400 sq. km of southern Ukraine since late last year. They attribute the gains to Ukraine’s growing domestic drone and missile capabilities, as well as restrictions on Russian access to Starlink satellite services used to guide drones.

With AP/PTI inputs