The Sri Lankan government claims that around 280 Sri Lankans have been recruited to fight in the war against Ukraine on the side of the Russian armed forces.

The Barrons reported on this.

An investigation is currently underway in the country to find recruiters who have been active since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Sri Lankan citizens have been recruited with promises of high wages and service in Russia.

After arriving in Russia, they signed a contract and were thrown to the front line, where some of them were killed.

Most had been recruited for the Russian army and duped with promises of high salaries and falsely told they would be given non-combat roles, lawmaker Gamini Waleboda said.

The government has created a special unit that collects information about citizens who have been recruited to participate in hostilities.

“We have received complaints from approximately 280 family members,” public security minister Tiran Alles said.

Citizens are recruited by former members of the Sri Lankan armed forces. Previously, the police arrested two retired officers, including a major general, for illegal activities as recruitment agents for Russian PMCs.

In addition to Sri Lanka, the governments of India and Nepal reported recruitment of their citizens to fight in the war against Ukraine. In these countries, police also managed to arrest recruiters.

Militarnyi previously reported that Russian private military companies are recruiting Ukrainian citizens in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine to be sent to Africa.

They are promised salaries of RUB 240 thousand if they sign a six-month contract.