Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirms 139 discharged as New Delhi continues talks with Moscow for remaining citizens’ release.
India has revealed that 51 of the 227 Indian nationals known to have been recruited into the Russian armed forces have been killed while serving on the front lines of the war in Ukraine, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Monday.
Speaking to reporters in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, where he was attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Misri said 139 of the Indians had been discharged and that New Delhi remained in active discussions with Moscow to secure the early release and repatriation of those still serving.
227 Indians Recruited Into Russian Army, 51 Killed:
“At last count, we had information about 227 Indian nationals who had been recruited into the Russian army,” Misri said. “Out of that, we have information that 139 of our nationals have been discharged from the army. And unfortunately, of course, we have information also about 51 people who have perished so far.”
He emphasised that the issue of Indian citizens serving in Russian forces had been raised with Russian authorities “at various levels on multiple occasions.” The Indian Embassy in Moscow is closely monitoring the situation, he added, and continues to press for the discharge of remaining cases so that the individuals can return to their families as soon as possible.
The figures mark a further rise in the official tally. In December 2025, the Ministry of External Affairs told parliament that about 202 Indians were believed to have been recruited since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with 26 reported dead and seven missing. By May 2026, a government status report submitted to the Supreme Court put the number of recruits at 217, with 49 deaths recorded. The latest confirmation of 227 cases and 51 fatalities shows that additional names continue to surface as authorities reconcile records.
Many of the men are understood to have been drawn to Russia by agents offering well-paid civilian jobs as helpers or cleaners, only to find themselves enlisted in military service. Others were reportedly attracted by financial incentives that included a signing bonus of around $5,000, monthly salaries of about $2,500, social benefits, a pathway to Russian citizenship and compensation of approximately $168,000 in the event of death. Some had travelled on student visas.
India Presses Russia to Release Remaining Recruited Citizens:
The Indian government has repeatedly warned citizens against accepting overseas job offers linked to the conflict, describing them as “fraught with risks” and often promoted by unscrupulous agencies. The Supreme Court has directed the Ministry of External Affairs to appoint a nodal officer to coordinate with families of those killed, missing or injured, facilitate DNA matching for identification of remains, and assist with compensation claims through the Russian Embassy.
India and Russia maintain a longstanding strategic partnership, and New Delhi has carefully balanced its relations with Moscow while urging an end to the “endless wars.” Misri’s comments came shortly after Modi held bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the SCO summit, during which the Indian leader stressed the need to move from prolonged conflict towards a resolution.
Despite earlier Russian assurances that recruitment of Indians had stopped, cases have continued to emerge. Diplomatic efforts have already secured the discharge of the majority of those identified, yet the death toll and the fate of the remaining individuals remain a source of concern for their families and for Indian authorities. New Delhi says it will continue to engage Moscow until every remaining case is resolved and the citizens are able to return home.