Press
Sri Lanka wants to bring hundreds back from the Ukraine war. Russia recruited them with false promises. A meeting is to clarify the situation.
Colombo – The fact that Russia recruits soldiers under false pretenses is no longer an isolated case. There seems to be a larger strategy behind it, which is also suspected to be linked to the high losses in the war. After India and Cuba, another country has now spoken out and stated that it has recruited hundreds of citizens from the War in Ukraine According to police in Sri Lanka, at least 800 men were lured to the front under false promises to fight for the Russian side.
Since the beginning of the war, according to the BBC At least 16 former Sri Lankan soldiers have already been killed. According to police reports, most of those affected were promised a monthly salary of 1 to 1.5 million rupees (around 3,000 to 4,600 euros) or even more for relatively secure unskilled jobs. In fact, however, the men were sent to fight at the front and the promised money – many times the amount in Sri Lanka usual income – they would not have received.
Wrong recruitment is a known problem: Sri Lanka wants to enter into dialogue with Russia
As recently as mid-May, there was talk of “complaints from around 280” relatives, according to the Minister of Public Security, Tiran Alles, at the time, according to the Saudi Arabian news site Al-ArabiyaSince then, recruitment efforts have increased considerably, despite complaints already being made. On the Ministry of Defense’s website, relatives were asked to “provide information on retired Sri Lankan military personnel who have joined the Russian-Ukrainian war.”
A large proportion of those recruited Russia’s are still retired soldiers, according to the police. So far, 20 people have been arrested who are said to have been involved in organizing the recruitment. The recruited men do not know exactly where they are or their commanders will not let them go.
Meeting between Sri Lanka and Russia to clarify false recruitment
At a meeting of the BRICS countries in Moscow On 10 June, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ali Sabry is said to have reached an agreement “that no further recruitment from Sri Lanka will be carried out”, according to the ministry. Al-ArabiyaMore precise regulations are still pending.
According to the media report, another meeting is planned in Moscow on June 26 between Sri Lanka’s Deputy Foreign Minister Tharaka Balasuriya and a deputy of Defense Minister Andrei Belousov to “examine these issues in detail and take appropriate measures to improve the situation.” He hopes for Russian help in repatriating the men, it said. (lismah/dpa)
#Sri #Lanka #demands #return #mercenaries