DISINFO: Russia never tried to recruit Indians to fight Ukraine
SUMMARY
The Russian authorities have never made any effort to recruit Indian citizens into the army and send them to fight in the Ukraine conflict.
RESPONSE
The claim is demonstrably false. Although it is unclear if there was any official Russian involvement in the recruitment through intermediaries of hundreds of Indian and Nepali citizens who ended up fighting in Ukraine after being promised jobs elsewhere, it is clear that Russia has actively recruited Indian citizens for the war in Ukraine. For example, some military recruitment centers throughout Russia had Indian translators attached. In August 2024, the Russian Embassy in Delhi claimed that Russia ceased recruiting Indian citizens in April this year, indirectly acknowledging that it did before that date. Moreover, fraudulent schemes through which Indians were sent to Ukraine are consistent with those utilised to target recruits of other nationalities such as Cuba, African states, and other places.
This disinformation story appeared as the Russian government suffered a diplomatic row with India after Indian authorities demanded the discharge of Indian nationals who were allegedly misled into joining Russia’s army to fight in Ukraine. Achieving the return of these recruits became a priority of the Indian government, and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi strongly raised the issue to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a trip to Moscow in early July 2024.
Outright denial of Russia’s misdeeds despite evidence is a frequent pro-Kremlin disinformation technique. See other examples of similar disinformation stories, such as claims that Russia never attacks civilian targets, that throughout its history, Russia has never attacked anyone, that Russia has never interfered in foreign electoral processes, or that Russia doesn’t move outside the framework of international laws.