1 month ago
24
ARTICLE AD BOX
The database of those killed – including citizens of India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan – shows casualty figures acold higher successful immoderate cases than those truthful acold released oregon acknowledged by govts of the region.
The information besides names Southasians known to person been recruited into the Russian subject from these countries, with a tally of 1,923 recruits. The information — provided to Himal Southasian and Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project by Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of Wars, and successful portion obtained from sources wrong the Russian subject arsenic good – covers the play from the commencement of Russia’s full-scale penetration of Ukraine successful 2022 to Sept 2025.
Sri Lanka tops the database of deaths, with astatine slightest 275 citizens killed successful enactment retired of astatine slightest 751 recruited, says the Himal study published connected March 5. “The existent fig of Sri Lankan nationals recruited into the Russian army, arsenic good arsenic those killed oregon missing successful action, is apt importantly higher,” the Coordination Headquarters told Himal. The country’s overseas minister, Vijitha Herath, informed the Sri Lankan parliament past twelvemonth that 59 Sri Lankans had been killed retired of 554 recruited arsenic of Jan 2025.
The Sri Lankan overseas ministry had not responded to questions from Himal.In Dec 2025, the Indian govt reported 26 deaths and 202 Indian recruits. In May 2024, CBI had arrested 4 traffickers, including a Russian translator, who utilized YouTube to enlistee Indian younker with the committedness of enactment lone to deploy them to the frontlines.Five Afghans person been killed retired of 18 recruited, and 3 retired of 22 Pakistani recruits person perished.
In August 2025, Pakistan’s govt denied that determination were immoderate Pakistani nationals warring successful the conflict, dismissing allegations to the contrary arsenic “baseless and unfounded”. Six Myanmar nationals are besides listed arsenic recruits, with nary deaths recorded.Himal did not person responses to queries sent to these govts astir updated authoritative figures.A spokesperson for the Coordination Headquarters told Himal that based connected information for 3,390 overseas fighters killed, including those from beyond Southasia, “42% of them died wrong the archetypal 4 months aft signing the contract”. There person been galore reports of Southasians being deployed to the frontlines with small oregon inadequate training.Language barriers and a deficiency of modern warring instrumentality person besides been cited arsenic contributing to Southasians being killed successful action.
