New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday once again cautioned Indian nationals against joining the Russian military amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. The advisory follows fresh reports of Indian men being recruited into the Russian army and sent to active combat zones.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, “We have seen reports about Indian nationals having been recruited recently into the Russian army. We have also taken up the matter with Russian authorities, both in Delhi and Moscow, requesting that this practice be halted and that our nationals be released. We are in touch with the families of the affected Indian citizens.”

Jaiswal emphasised that the government has repeatedly highlighted the dangers of such recruitment. “We once again strongly urge all Indian nationals to stay away from any offers to join the Russian army as this is a course fraught with danger,” he said. The warning follows several previous advisories cautioning Indians against fraudulent job offers linked to the conflict.

Earlier this year, the MEA informed Parliament that 127 Indians had joined the Russian armed forces, of whom 98 were released following sustained diplomatic engagement between New Delhi and Moscow.

At that time, 13 Indian nationals remained in service, with 12 reported missing. The MEA continues to coordinate with Russian authorities to locate these missing individuals.

The Russian Embassy in India had assured last year that it was no longer recruiting Indian citizens into its military, following discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin in July 2024. The embassy also confirmed working closely with Indian authorities to facilitate the release of Indian nationals already recruited and deployed in Ukraine.