Over 550 Sri Lankans Recruited into Russian Military, 59 Killed

At least 554 Sri Lankans have been recruited to serve in the Russian military as of January 20, according to Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, citing data collected by Sri Lanka’s embassy in Russia.

Among them, 59 Sri Lankans have reportedly died in combat, with their names set to be tabled in parliament.

“We have no information that they were recruited by force,” Minister Herath stated.

Most of those recruited were former soldiers, drawn in by promises of high salaries. However, some returnees have claimed they were misled into believing they would serve in logistics rather than combat roles. Others who managed to escape have recounted harrowing experiences, alleging that foreign recruits were forced out of bunkers to fight in the open, where they were frequently targeted by drone attacks.

Efforts to repatriate Sri Lankans from Russia are ongoing, Herath added.

Russia has increasingly turned to foreign recruits following its invasion of Ukraine, as domestic resistance to conscription and draft evasion remain significant challenges. Reports indicate that similar recruitment efforts have taken place across other South Asian nations.