- Military notes lack of official Russian & Ukrainian Armies membership/salary/citizenship/land/compensation
- Says fate of extreme weather/minimal infrastructure facilities/lack of communication/injuries/death awaits
Emphasising that war veterans who are Sri Lankan citizens cannot be allowed to be used as mercenaries in foreign lands and to place their lives at risk, the Defence Secretary, Retired General Kamal Gunaratne stated that the law will be strictly enforced against illegal human smugglers and traffickers, establishments and others involved in illegal activities, specifically illegal foreign employment agents who dupe war veterans.
The Defence Ministry has learned that a number of retired war veterans have got caught in a scheme by some illegal foreign job agents and have been sent to the Russian-Ukrainian war front as members of mercenary groups. It is also revealed that a significant number of war veterans have died and sustained injuries in the battlefield. These war veterans have left to the Russian-Ukrainian war front as mercenaries after being duped by these human traffickers who had promised them the opportunity to join a foreign Army, a handsome salary, citizenship in those countries and other benefits.
“Illegal foreign employment agents also promise to grant land in popular areas like Saint Petersburg if they join the war. Moreover, they pledge Russian citizenship for their families and more than Rs. 1 million in cash,” Gunaratne added. However, neither the serving nor the injured have received any salaries or benefits and these traffickers have not even given any sort of compensation to the families of those injured or the dead. Further, they have failed to provide any information of the whereabouts of those war veterans to their families as well.
The Defence Ministry and the Foreign Affairs Ministry are making efforts to obtain factual information about the war veterans and casualties at the Russian-Ukrainian war front.
Gunaratne made a special request to the war veterans not to be caught in such illegal schemes and not to place their lives at risk by joining foreign mercenary groups and to also think of the plight of their families before doing so.
The Criminal Investigations Department, the Police and the Intelligence agencies have launched extensive operations to arrest such illegal human traffickers and several people involved in it have already been taken into custody.
Meanwhile, the Navy, shedding light on the issue of human trafficking associated with deployments for the Russia-Ukraine war, highlighted the deceptive practice of portraying retired military personnel as recipients of substantial salaries and benefits.
A recent disclosure has uncovered a human trafficking scheme including retired military personnel from Sri Lanka's armed forces. These individuals were deceived into believing that they would receive significant benefits, including high salaries and citizenship, by joining the Russian and Ukrainian forces. They were sent on tourist visas and subsequently deployed for frontline combat in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Former military personnel, lured to Russia and Ukraine on tourist visas, are being recruited into mercenary forces without offering the promised salaries or benefits. It is reported that they face extreme weather, minimal support infrastructure and are even without communication means. Reports also indicate serious injuries and some fatalities in the harsh war zones, lacking basic facilities.
Hence, the Navy urges retired Naval personnel not to consider accepting such opportunities, as they would lead to jeopardising their hard earned privileges and assets. Also, choosing to reside far away from home without the support of near and dear ones can lead to challenging circumstances.
Moreover, the Navy urged the public to reach out to the Navy Headquarters via 0117192142/0117192250 if they possess any information about individuals, active duty military personnel or any other person involved in this human trafficking act or aiding such activities.