Sri Lankans Caught in Russia’s War: UN Raises Alarm Over Human Trafficking
A shocking revelation has emerged from the United Nations, pointing to Sri Lankans — including Tamils from the war-scarred north of Jaffna — being trafficked and forced to fight in Russia’s war in Ukraine.
At a press conference in Geneva on September 22, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Russia, Mariana Katzarova, said the Russian Defence Ministry has been recruiting foreign nationals, including people from Sri Lanka and Nepal, through coercion, torture, and threats. According to her findings, many of these men were tricked by fake job offers, only to end up on the battlefield. Disturbingly, the report even cited a case where a man was shot dead for refusing to sign a military contract.
The Trap of “Predatory Recruitment”
Back in July, the UN had already flagged concerns in a letter to the Sri Lankan government. It highlighted how three Sri Lankan Tamils were lured abroad with promises of well-paid jobs in Europe but were instead trafficked and pushed into the Russian army. Their families, desperate for answers, reached out to Sri Lankan authorities, including the Foreign Ministry and the President’s Office, but reportedly received little to no help.
The letter also hinted at something much bigger — a global criminal network profiting from trafficking vulnerable men into warzones. It warned that “hundreds of other Sri Lankans” could be trapped in the same cycle, alongside victims from other countries.
Growing Regional Concern
This is not an isolated case. Similar reports have surfaced from Nepal and India. Earlier this year, Nepali citizens were reported stranded on the frontlines in Ukraine, pleading to be rescued. Around the same time, at least 15 Indians were said to be stuck in the conflict after being misled into joining Russia’s war effort.
Sri Lanka, too, has its share of heartbreaking accounts. In May 2025, reports suggested that around 120 former Sri Lankan soldiers, who had left to fight as mercenaries in Russia in 2024, had lost all contact with their families. At least 60 of them have been missing for over a year.
Why Sri Lankans Are Vulnerable
Since the island nation’s 2022 economic meltdown, thousands of Sri Lankans have left home seeking work abroad, often paying huge sums to recruitment agencies. The desperation for jobs has made them easy targets for traffickers. According to government figures, more than 144,000 Sri Lankans went overseas for work in just the first half of 2025, underlining how heavily the country now relies on foreign employment and remittances.
Government Response
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that Russia has now “halted recruiting Sri Lankans” into its army. Officials said they have requested Moscow to allow those who have completed their contracts to return home if they wish. However, the government has not disclosed how many Sri Lankans are currently fighting in Ukraine.
Interestingly, instead of taking a hard stance, Sri Lanka has emphasized its “close ties” with Russia. The government even said it is working with Russian authorities to ensure compensation for families of Sri Lankans who have been killed or injured in combat.
This disturbing situation reveals how economic desperation and predatory recruitment networks are dragging vulnerable people from countries like Sri Lanka, Nepal, and India into a brutal war they have no stake in. And while governments scramble to manage diplomatic ties, families back home continue to wait — often in silence — for answers about their missing loved ones.
No comments:
Post a Comment