MoS Muraleedharan: Two of the Four Kerala Youth Forced Into the Russia-Ukraine War in Order to Return Home

Following their recruitment into the Russian army by private agencies, two of the four youngsters from Kerala who served in the battle against Ukraine will shortly return home to be with their families, according to Union Minister of State (Mos) for External Affairs V Muraleedharan. The Ministry of State said on Tuesday night that the Indian Embassy was preparing their passports for their departure from Russia.

In the approaching general elections of 2024, Muraleedharan, a candidate from the Attingal Lok Sabha seat, told reporters, “We expect that they will soon return home.” The Ministry of State said that negotiations were underway between the Russian government and the External Affairs Ministry to bring the two remaining state residents back as well.

He continued, “You can be confident that we are taking decisive action to guarantee their return.” The three men’s family said that they were sent to Russia by a recruiting agency under the enticing offer of an enormous remuneration of Rs 2.5 lakh.

Muraleedharan had earlier indicated that investigators were looking into organizations that enticed Indians to go to war-torn Ukraine with the lure of well-paying employment in Russia. Additionally, he had said that legal action against the organizations that recruited the Indians would soon be pursued and that all attempts by the Central government to repatriate any Indians left behind in the combat zone would be made.