Mercenaries from Sri Lanka fled from the russian army.
At least 22 Sri Lankan citizens who fought against Ukraine on the side of russia were able to desert and return to their homeland, Allen Heath, a spokesman for the country's Ministry of Defense, told AFP.
"They were deceived," the official stressed. One of the returnees, Anil Madusanka, 37, who worked as a driver at the hotel, said he was promised the same job in russia, but instead was armed and sent to the front lines in Ukraine. He stayed there for seven weeks and received a shrapnel wound to both legs. From the hospital, Madusanka managed to flee to the Sri Lankan embassy, which helped him return to his homeland.
According to him, many Sri Lankans faced great economic problems that forced them to look for work in russia or Ukraine. Several Sri Lankans in russia told Al Jazeera that they were attracted by promises to pay up to $ 3.000 a month and the prospect of obtaining russian citizenship.
AFP reports that russian recruiters also posted ads in former military WhatsApp groups about working in russia with a monthly salary of more than $ 2.100, which is 13 times higher than the average income in the country.
Sri Lanka has so far remained neutral on Russia's war against Ukraine, but reports of the recruitment of citizens have caused tensions. The country's police arrested two retired generals who were recruiting mercenaries for the war, as well as six more people who helped them with logistics. All those arrested are promised "severe punishments".
In total, the Sri Lankan authorities received at least 288 complaints from relatives of those who were recruited into the russian army. It is also known about the death of 16 people and 37 wounded. At the same time, according to initial data announced by the country's Foreign Minister Taraka Balasuriya, there are about 600-800 Sri Lankan citizens in Russia.
In May, President Ranil Wickremesinghe instructed to send a special delegation to russia to investigate the involvement of its citizens in the war. The Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry said that the delegation would try to return all Sri Lankans to their homeland.
Same tune, other countries:
A group that recruited local residents to participate in russia's war was arrested in India. In just one month, they recruited about 35 Indians, promising them "high-paying jobs." The Indian Foreign Ministry noted that each case of deception of Indians is "strongly discussed" with Moscow.
Russia is recruiting mercenaries by any means necessary in Africa, Syria, Nepal, Cuba, India, etc. Ukrainian intelligence noted that russia needed foreign mercenaries to replace "practically run out of convicts."
In November last year, the AFU eliminated a 38-year-old mercenary from China, who was going to fight as part of the russian army against "Japanese militaristic fascists" allegedly on the side of Ukraine.
Source
@freerussia_report
