Sri Lanka seeks compensation from Russia for citizens killed in Ukraine war
A delegation from Sri Lanka, during a meeting in Moscow with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko and Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin, has raised the issue of compensation for Sri Lankan citizens who were killed or injured while serving in the Russian army, announced the Sri Lankan Embassy in Russia on Thursday, June 27. The delegation was led by Foreign Minister Tharaka Balasuriya.
"During the conversation, issues regarding the deaths of 17 Sri Lankans in combat, compensation for the deceased and injured, the status of Sri Lankans who cannot be reached, the possibility of voluntary repatriation, early termination of contracts, and regulation of monetary allowances were discussed," stated the Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Russian Foreign Ministry did not provide details about the meeting. In its communiqué, the ministry mentioned that the meeting with Rudenko discussed "current issues on the Russia-Sri Lanka agenda" and "mutual interest in maintaining the dynamics of bilateral dialogue," including in political and trade-economic sectors. The news outlet Agentsvo noted that Russian state media did not report on the meeting at all.
In May 2024, the Sri Lankan government launched an investigation into the recruitment of the country’s citizens to fight in Ukraine, as reported by Meduza. According to Sri Lankan authorities, at least 16 people were reported dead, 37 injured, and more than ten possibly held captive at that time.
Foreign Minister Tharaka Balasuriya announced on May 30 that Sri Lankans had been deceitfully lured to Russia with promises of good salaries and perks, including Russian citizenship. He stated that the ministry received 455 complaints from citizens on this matter. According to AFP, Sri Lankans were promised salaries of over €2000 per month, approximately 13 times their average income. Balasuriya also stated that Moscow agreed to stop recruiting Sri Lankans for the war against Ukraine. The agreement for the June meeting in Russia was reached at that time.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported that at the end of last year, Sri Lankan authorities shut down an agency recruiting citizens to fight in Ukraine. Media reports indicate that at least two thousand Sri Lankans participate in the Russia-Ukraine war on both sides.
Earlier, the Nepalese government suspended issuing work permits to its citizens for Russia and Ukraine as of January 5th. The decision was made after confirming information that at least 10 Nepalese mercenaries fighting for Russia had died in Ukraine. The Foreign Ministry urged citizens not to participate in the Ukraine conflict on either side.
According to Nepalese authorities, as of the beginning of the year, at least 200 Nepalese mercenaries are fighting in Russia’s army in Ukraine. Foreign Minister Narayan Prakash Saud stated that the whereabouts of 100 individuals are currently unknown. Kathmandu has already demanded that Moscow stop recruiting Nepalese and repatriate those already recruited.
As reported by the Nepalese police in early December 2023, authorities detained 12 people on charges of illegally sending young men for recruitment in the Russian army. According to the police, the detainees organized the transfer of Nepalese individuals to Russia via India and the UAE. “It’s still unclear how many people were sent this way, but the investigation continues,” said a police representative. He noted that each volunteer paid up to $8,500 for the trip to Russia.