Overview
- The Ministry of External Affairs told the Supreme Court on Friday that about 217 Indian nationals had joined the Russian armed forces with 139 released, 49 reported dead, six missing and 23 whose status is unknown.
- Families of 26 petitioners told the court that some bodies returned from Russia arrived beyond recognition and described them as mutilated while also seeking faster compensation and clearer communication.
- The MEA said it has collected and sent DNA reports for the immediate family members of 21 cases to Russian authorities to help identify remains and trace missing persons.
- The government reported recruits were often signed to employer contracts after being offered inducements such as a roughly $5,000 signing bonus, about $2,500 monthly pay and promises of Russian citizenship and benefits, and said probes have targeted trafficking rings that used social media to recruit.
- The Supreme Court has given petitioners leave to respond to the MEA status report and the case remains pending as diplomatic follow-up, repatriation work paid from the Indian Community Welfare Fund and criminal investigations continue.