217 Indian nationals Joined Russian Army, 49 Lost Their Lives: Centre Informs Supreme Court

The Union Government on Friday informed the Supreme Court that out of approximately 217 Indian nationals who had joined the Russian armed forces during the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, 49 individuals have lost their lives.

Court has further been told that six Indian Nationals still remain missing. A CJI Surya Kant led bench was hearing a petition filed by family members of Indian nationals who were allegedly recruited into the Russian military.

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati informed the bench that pursuant to diplomatic dialogue with Russian authorities, 139 Indian nationals had already been released from their contractual military engagements. The ASG submitted, “About 217 Indian nationals had joined the Russian armed forces. After the diplomatic engagement, 139 nationals have been released from the contractual engagements, 49 nationals have lost their lives in the conflict and 6 nationals have been confirmed missing.”

Court was told that the mortal remains of eight deceased individuals were soon to be brought back to India and handed over to their families, while DNA verification processes were underway in other cases.

When the petitioner counsel submitted before the Court that in some cases, only “flesh and bones” of deceased Indian nationals were being brought back to their families, ASG Bhati strongly objected to the submissions and urged that the matter is not sensationalized, “It’s very unfortunate that my colleague is sensationalizing this,” she told the bench.

The Supreme Court was hearing a petition filed by family members and close relatives of 26 Indian Nationals who had travelled abroad between the years 2024 and 2025 on the basis of tourist visas, student visas, or other travel documents, believing that they would pursue; legitimate employment or educational opportunities in the Russian Federation but were induced or lured by recruitment agents operating within India.

Post their arrival in Russia, several of the affected individuals were placed in circumstances entirely beyond their control. Their passports and identity documents were confiscated, their freedom of movement was curtailed, and they were subjected to threats and coercion. During certain instances, they were compelled to sign documents written in languages unfamiliar to them and were thereafter forcibly enlisted or admitted into military structures associated with the Russian Armed forces.

The last communications received by their families, mostly between September and, October 2025, indicated that the Detainees were stationed in or near active conflict zones including Kupyansk, Selydove, Makiivka, Chelyabinsk and other regions associated with the Russia-Ukraine theatre of hostilities. In these communications, it is apparent that the affected individuals expressed fear for their safety and communicated to their families that their passports had been confiscated and that they were unable to leave the conflict areas where they had been stationed. In several cases, the families have completely lost contact with them, thereafter.

Since the last communication received from the Detainees, the petitioners had made representations to various authorities including the Ministry of External Affairs, the Embassy of India in Moscow, the Ministry of Home Affairs, State Governments, local police authorities and other governmental bodies, seeking assistance in tracing, protecting and repatriating their relatives but did not recieve a detention status or whereabouts of the detainees.

Case Title: DIVYA Vs UNION OF INDIA

Bench: CJI Surya Kant, Justice Bagchi and Justice Pancholi

Hearing Date: May 22, 2026