CHENNAI: MDMK principal secretary Durai Vaiko has urged Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov to intervene urgently over reports of Indian nationals, including students, being forcibly conscripted into the Russian military. Durai personally handed over a letter to the envoy at his Delhi office.
In his letter, Durai cited the case of Tamil Nadu medical student Kishore Saravanan, allegedly taken from Mariupol training to the warfront, and said he is also representing families of 14 other missing Indians. “These cases suggest that thousands of Indians may have been forced into the war,” he said.
Quoting official data, he noted that 31,444 Indian students were in Russia in 2024, including 2,000 from Tamil Nadu, and warned that such incidents could create fear among students and families.
In a statement later, Durai said the deputy ambassador assured him that the Russian government does not engage in such activities, attributing such acts to intermediaries in both countries. He added that the envoy confirmed receiving a formal request from the Ministry of External Affairs to secure Kishore’s release, and that action is underway.