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Sri Lankans, including Tamils from the civilian war-affected bluish Jaffna district, are among overseas nationals who person been enlisted by the Russian service to combat successful its ongoing warfare successful Ukraine, a UN expert’s caller connection has revealed.
The Hindu explains: A little past of the Russia-Ukraine war
Addressing a property league successful Geneva connected September 22, amid the 60th session of the UN Human Rights Council, Mariana Katzarova, UN Special Rapporteur connected the concern of quality rights successful the Russian Federation, said: “The Russian Ministry of Defence has enlisted overseas nationals to combat successful Ukraine, including trafficked persons from Nepal and Sri Lanka, into the Russian army, coercing them into signing contracts done torture and threats to their lives and to their families,” highlighting a uncovering successful her September 15 report. The study besides noted that the “conscripts are forced, done torture and deceit, into signing subject contracts that let them to beryllium sent to the beforehand lines. In astatine slightest 1 case, a idiosyncratic was changeable dormant for refusing to motion the contract.”
‘Predatory recruitment’
In July this year, the Special Rapporteur, the UN Working Group connected the usage of mercenaries, and different quality rights experts, wrote to the Government of Sri Lanka, connected accusation it received concerning the “alleged predatory recruitment” of 3 Sri Lankan individuals — the missive named the 3 Tamils — misled by recruitment agencies with mendacious promises of employment opportunities and amended beingness conditions successful Europe. They ended up being trafficked and forcibly recruited into the Russian army, the missive said, naming the 3 persons. Responding to an email query from The Hindu, Special Rapporteur Katzarova’s bureau said it is yet to person a ceremonial effect from the Government of Sri Lanka.
The missive dated July 22 flagged an “international lucrative transgression network” that trafficked individuals, promising harmless ineligible employment and said that “the families of the victims had reached retired to aggregate Sri Lankan authorities, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the President’s office, but had reportedly received nary substantive response”. The Hindu learns that the families of the individuals, based successful Jaffna, had reached retired to then-Jaffna legislator M.A. Sumanthiran precocious past year, seeking his assistance successful contacting the Ministry and President’s office.
Three years of a proxy war: Lessons from the Russia-Ukraine struggle | In Focus podcast
Further, the connection from the Special Rapporteur’s bureau also referenced allegations that “hundreds of different Sri Lankan men”, isolated from different overseas nationals, whitethorn person been likewise trafficked oregon coerced into joining the Russian equipped forces.
Stuck successful battlefield
In 2024, Nepali media reported on Nepalis warring for Russia successful Ukraine pleading to beryllium rescued. Earlier this month, The Hindu reported that at slightest 15 Indians were stuck successful the battlefield successful Ukraine, highlighting what appears a increasing interest successful the region, arsenic Russia’s penetration of Ukraine persists for good implicit 3 years. Responding, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said it took up the matter with Russian authorities and asked that “practice beryllium ended and that our nationals beryllium released.”
Sri Lankan media, too, has successful the past highlighted cases of ex-military men seemingly trapped successful Ukraine, warring Russia’s war. In May 2025, The Sunday Times reported that astatine slightest 120 Sri Lankan ex-military men, who near for Russia arsenic mercenaries successful 2024 person not communicated with their families for galore months, portion 60 are present “missing” for good implicit 1 year. Concerns of Sri Lankans being duped by employment agencies, who complaint hefty fees promising jobs abroad, person risen, particularly since the land nation’s 2022 economical crash, which sparked unprecedented levels of outward labour migration. According to authoritative data, astatine slightest 1,44,379 Sri Lankans went overseas for employment during the archetypal six months of 2025, adjacent arsenic the state relies heavy connected idiosyncratic remittances to rebuild its debt-strained economy.
Responding to The Hindu’s query connected the Special Rapporteur’s statement, Thushara Rodrigo, spokesperson of Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Russian authorities person “halted recruiting Sri Lankans” to the Russian army. “Sri Lanka has requested that Sri Lankans, who person completed their contracts with the Russian military, beryllium allowed to instrumentality to Sri Lanka, if they wish,” helium told The Hindu.
Close Russia ties
Asked however galore Sri Lankan nationals are presently warring successful Ukraine, the Ministry did not respond. Its spokesperson said Sri Lanka — the land federation has historically held adjacent ties with Russia — “appreciates the ongoing practice with the Russian authorities to expedite the process of receiving compensation for Sri Lankans who person been killed successful enactment oregon wounded successful combat.”
