Over 200 Complaints On Sri Lankan Military Being Trafficked to Russia-Ukraine War Zone

COLOMBO (News 1st); The number of complaints related to the human trafficking of retired military personnel for the Russia-Ukraine war has surged to 243.

These complaints were received between the 9th of this month and 6:00 AM today (14).

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is actively pursuing further investigations into this illicit activity.

Police Spokesperson and DIG, Attorney-at-Law Nihal Thalduwa confirmed that 11 retired military personnel lost their lives in the ongoing conflict. Among them, 9 fatalities occurred in Russia, while 2 occurred in Ukraine.

An investigation conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department has uncovered that retired army officers were dispatched to Russia and Ukraine after receiving payments ranging from Rs. 1 Million to Rs. 1.7 Million.

Additionally, a retired major general and a sergeant major involved in human trafficking, specifically sending individuals to Russia for military service, were apprehended by the Criminal Investigation Department in Kurunegala.

They were subsequently remanded after their court appearance.

Sri Lankan War Heroes Sold to Russians By 'Avant Garde'

Sri Lankan lawmaker Dayasiri Jayasekera speaking in Parliament highlighted the plight of Sri Lankan ex-servicemen fighting for Russia in the war against Ukraine, who have suffered amputations and lost limbs.

He said that these brave individuals are seeking compensation, which is reportedly set at three million rubles—equivalent to approximately 11 million Sri Lankan rupees.

The MP said that however, their demands remain unmet, despite their service in paramilitary or mercenary forces.

MP Jayasekera in parliament delved into the matter further, revealing a connection to a company named Avant Garde.

It remains uncertain whether this is the same Avant Garde that operates in Sri Lanka, he said while adding that intriguingly, the individuals behind Avant Garde in Russia go by the names Dilan and Suresh. The MP noted that the presence of these familiar names raises questions about the company's operations.

According to Jayasekera, Sri Lankan war heroes have allegedly been sold to the Russians by Avant Garde.

He said that these servicemen undergo 14 days of training before being deployed to conflict zones.

Tragically, when injured in battle, they do not receive adequate compensation. Payments have been withheld for approximately four months, leaving them with only Rs. 50,000/- for their entire service period.

Ministry Of Defence Hotline

The Ministry of Defence announced the establishment of a special unit to gather information on the human trafficking of retired Sri Lankan military personnel to the Russia-Ukraine war through illegal channels.

Accordingly, the Defence Secretary requests the family members of the concerned to provide information about retired Sri Lankan military personnel who have joined the Russia-Ukraine war via various routes, including the dates of their departure, persons and institutions that had coordinated their passages, to the following dedicated no: 0112441146.

The Defence Secretary also requests the general public to provide information about individuals involved in human trafficking, those who support it and any relevant information related to the above phone number.

As this is done to safeguard the safety of Sri Lankan citizens, everyone is encouraged to pay special attention and provide information in this regard.