Chandigarh/New Delhi, 29 January 2025: Days after the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that 16 Indians remain missing in Russia, authorities there have requested DNA reports of their mothers for identification purposes, deepening concerns among families.
Two of the missing Indians are from Punjab, and their families have been asked to provide DNA samples. Relatives fear for the safety of their loved ones, who were reportedly working with the Russian Army.
Sukhpreet Kaur, a resident of Kalyan village in Malerkotla, said activists assisting families of Indians caught in the Russia-Ukraine war informed her over the phone that a DNA test was required for her mother-in-law, Sinder Pal Kaur.
The test would help in identifying Sinder Pal’s son, Budh Ram Singh, who has been missing in Russia since March.
Sukhpreet mentioned that Budh Ram last contacted the family on March 26, stating he would be unreachable for two weeks due to his deployment on the frontline. Since then, the family has been making relentless efforts to trace his whereabouts.
Similarly, the Indian Embassy in Moscow sent an email to the family of Mandeep Kumar from Goraya, Jalandhar, requesting a DNA sample from his mother. Mandeep has been missing since March 3.
His brother, Jagdeep Kumar, has been actively working to bring back Indian youths who have gone unaccounted for in Russia.
Jagdeep also mentioned Rahul from Amritsar, who had previously served in the Russian Army but left and has been staying with civilians in Moscow.
Families struggling with the financial burden of DNA testing—which costs between ₹18,000 and ₹25,000—have sought government assistance. On their behalf, Jagdeep wrote to the MEA seeking a resolution. In response, the ministry stated that it needed time to explore possible support options.
