45 Indian nationals have been rescued from the war zone and discharged by the Russian military, but fifty others continue to fight on Russia's side against Ukraine.

Indian TV channel "NDTV" reported that the Indian Ministry of External Affairs is making efforts to free the remaining citizens.

45 Indian nationals, according to the report, were illegally forced to join the Russian army and fight for them on the battle fronts against Ukraine.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue of freeing Indians from the Russian army during his visit to Moscow.

In the spring, Indian intelligence agencies uncovered a large human-trafficking network whose members fraudulently recruited young men to Russia, where they were forced to sign contracts with the Russian Defense Ministry and sent to fight in Ukraine.

Two of those arrested, according to Indian authorities, directly recruited men in the country's southern states.

According to the investigation, all the victims of the criminals were offered to travel to Russia under the pretext of finding a job or getting help to enter universities.

They recruited their victims on social media and through local companies, including travel agencies.

The defrauded Indian citizens were promised a salary of 45.000 rupees ($540) per month for the first three months, which would gradually increase to $1.800.

If they worked for a year, they were promised that they would be entitled to a Russian passport and citizenship.

In April, India's Ministry of External Affairs announced that ten previously conscripted men had returned home from Ukraine. Several Indian nationals were killed on the front.

As previously reported, Russia has created a special unit that recruits mercenaries in several African countries.