COLOMBO: Sri Lanka will dispatch a high-level delegation to Russia to analyze the destiny of lots of of nationals reportedly combating within the warfare in Ukraine, a prime official mentioned on Thursday (Might 16).
Social media campaigns through WhatsApp have focused ex-military personnel with guarantees of profitable salaries and guarantees of citizenship, the Defence Ministry has mentioned, warning its nationals to not be duped.
The messages, despatched by Sri Lankan nationals, present a quantity to brokers, who then prepare the documentation and the flights.
The campaigns have proved interesting as Sri Lanka struggles to emerge from its worst monetary disaster in additional than seven a long time, which has doubled poverty charges from pre-pandemic ranges and pushed lots of of individuals emigrate.
Earlier this month, Sri Lankan authorities launched investigations into stories of its residents, largely with navy coaching, being trafficked to struggle within the warfare in Ukraine, mentioned State Minister for Overseas Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya.
“The first problem lies in figuring out the precise variety of people in Russia. As per unofficial sources, roughly 600-800 Sri Lankan people are in Russia,” he informed reporters.
Russia’s embassy in Colombo didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark and up to now Moscow has not responded to repeated requests from Reuters on this situation.
Sri Lanka’s authorities have acquired 288 complaints from members of the family of nationals who had left illegally to struggle in Ukraine and have arrested seven folks, together with a retired main normal, linked to the human trafficking, based on the island nation’s defence ministry.
At the least 16 retired navy personnel have died in Ukraine, the ministry mentioned.
Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary Kamal Gunaratne, and a former ambassador to Russia will likely be among the many delegates who will depart for Russia shortly, Balasuriya mentioned.
In 2009, Sri Lanka ended a 26-year civil warfare between separatist Tamil insurgents and authorities forces. After the battle many Sri Lankan navy personnel retired from energetic service.
