Sri Lanka has called for payment of compensation for 17 Sri Lankans killed in action in Russia, the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Russia said on Thursday (27).

The issue was a key focus during a high-level visit by a parliamentary delegation led by State Minister of Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya, who held two days of discussions with Russian officials, including Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrey Rudenko and Deputy Minister of Defence Colonel General A. V. Fomin.

“The interactions centred on the 17 Sri Lankans killed in action, payment of compensation for the deceased and the wounded, the plight of the uncontactable Lankans, possibility of voluntary returns, early termination of contracts and regularisation of remuneration,” it said in a statement.

During the meeting, Sri Lanka has proposed to establish a joint working committee comprising of officials from the two sides to meet regularly to address issues and concerns of the Sri Lankans, who have been deployed. Both sides agreed to continue the engagements on the matters at hand.

The delegation led by Minister Balasuriya included Members of Parliament Dayasiri Jayasekera and Gamini Waleboda, Secretary of the Ministry of Defence General G. D. H. Kamal Gunaratne, Sri Lanka’s Charge d’Affaires to the Russian Federation Ambassador P. M. Amza, Additional Solicitor General Harippriya Jayasundara, Director General of Consular Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sisira Senavirathne, former Ambassador Dr. Saman Weerasinghe, and officials from the Sri Lankan Embassy in Russia.

Sri Lanka said over 450 complaints of mercenaries departing to both Russia and Ukraine had been recorded.

The government blamed foreign employment agencies for carrying out a racket of people smuggling. A few retired military officers and foreign employment agency personnel are currently remanded for the racket.

--With Agencies Inputs