At least 16 citizens of Sri Lanka have been killed while fighting as mercenaries in Russia’s war against Ukraine, according to the island nation’s deputy defense minister. Sri Lankan authorities have identified 288 retired soldiers who participated in the conflict and have opened an inquiry into the recruitment of citizens for the war. While details are not specified, a ruling party lawmaker mentioned that most Sri Lankans recruited were fighting alongside the Russian army, having been deceived with promises of high pay and non-combat roles, similar to reports from India and Nepal.
Deputy Defense Minister Pramitha Tennakoon emphasized that the recruitment of Sri Lankans for the war effort is being treated as a human trafficking operation, urging military officers to not fall prey to such recruitment drives. The Sri Lankan government is working with the Ukrainian and Russian foreign ministries to locate and bring back Sri Lankans involved in the conflict from both countries safely. This is seen as a delicate issue as Sri Lanka maintains friendly relations with both Russia and Ukraine.
Following the opening of a probe by the Sri Lankan Defense Ministry to gather information on citizens who have traveled to Russia or Ukraine to join the conflict, complaints began pouring in from relatives of those involved. The Sri Lankan government has repeatedly warned its citizens against traveling to these countries to join the fighting. Despite the warnings, there are no restrictions on Sri Lankans traveling abroad, and many have left due to an economic crisis in the country. Police have arrested two retired army officers, including a major general, for acting as recruiting agents for Russian mercenary companies.
India and Nepal have also confirmed that their citizens have been recruited to fight alongside the Russian army in Ukraine. Nepal reported that at least 19 citizens had been killed in combat as of March. The Sri Lankan authorities have vowed to continue investigating the recruitment of citizens for the war effort and are committed to working with foreign ministries to ensure the safe return of those involved. The situation highlights the challenges faced by countries in preventing their citizens from participating in foreign conflicts and the need to address issues related to the illegal recruitment of mercenaries.
