Centre Objects To Activists Sensationalizing Death of Indians Forced To Participate In Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Before Supreme Court today, Centre has objected to activists sensationalizing the death of Indian nationals who had travelled to Russia between 2024 and 2025 and were induced by recruitment agents to take part in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

"Activists are raising issues without being in touch with the families," Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati told a CJI Surya Kant led bench as it took up petitions filed by family members and close relatives of 26 Indian Nationals.

"We are facilitating the families. The Russian side is not handing over bodies without DNA matching. We have repeatedly written to the families and placed those communications on record. This is not a commercial matter. I have no incentive to mislead the Court. We have been coordinating with the Ministry of External Affairs for the last three months," ASG Bhati told court.

A counsel for the petitioners told the bench in response, "Coffins with only flesh, bones and rotting flesh is coming back..why will we refuse DNA matching.."

Objecting to this, ASG Bhati told the bench also comprising Justices Bagchi and Mohana that submissions were being made for social media.

Notably, the court has directed Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to appoint a nodal officer to coordinate with the families of Indians who died, were injured or went missing. MEA has been asked to facilitate DNA matching of family members with the mortal remains of those killed in the conflict and assist them in filing compensation claims with the Russian Embassy in New Delhi. The court further directed that all relevant information be provided to the affected families in their respective vernacular languages.

In May, the Union Government had 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 had further been told that six Indian Nationals still remain missing.

ASG Bhati had 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 had 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 has been 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 Mohana

Hearing Date: July 31, 2026