MEA rejects reports of Indians with Russian Army seeking help for discharge

New Delhi, Feb 26 (IANS) The Ministry of External Affairs said on Monday that it remains committed to pursuing all the relevant cases of its nationals for an early discharge from the Russian army.

The remarks were in response to "inaccurate reports" in the media regarding Indians with the Russian army seeking help for discharge.

"We have seen some inaccurate reports in the media regarding Indians with the Russian army seeking help for discharge," the ministry said in a statement.

"We remain committed, as a matter of top priority, to actively pursuing with the Russian authorities all the relevant cases of Indian nationals for an early discharge from the Russian army."

"Each and every such case brought to the attention of the Indian Embassy in Moscow has been strongly taken up with the Russian authorities and those brought to the attention of the Ministry have been taken up with the Russian Embassy in New Delhi."

As a result, several Indians have already been discharged, the statement read.

Last week, spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal acknowledged that the ministry was aware about the recruitment of Indians by some agents who duped them into joining the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

In a statement, the ministry called on the Indian community to stay away from the Russia-Ukraine conflict and urged them to exercise due caution.

As per media reports, 23-year-old Hemil Ashvinbhai Mangukiya from Gujarat, was killed in a Ukrainian air strike in the Donetsk region on February 21.

Indian officials are yet to confirm the killing of Mangukiya, reportedly hired as a security helper by the Russian Army.

The development comes amidst recent reports that a group of Indian youths fell victim to agents who deceitfully sent them to Russia under the false pretext of providing them with security guard jobs.

Instead, all of them were dispatched to war-torn Ukraine-Russia areas.