• President decides to send top-level delegation to Moscow

 By Kelum Bandara
The defence authorities had received 413  inquiries related to Sri Lankan mercenaries fighting in the Russia -  Ukraine war, an informed source said.

There are reports about former Sri Lankan soldiers fighting both with Russian and Ukrainian forces.

According  to the source, the defence authorities have received 413 inquiries from family members and relatives of these soldiers.

President  Ranil Wickremesinghe has taken a decision to send a top-level delegation  led by Defence Secretary Kamal Gunaratne to Moscow to engage with the  Russian authorities about this matter.

However, a Russian Embassy  spokesman said the official correspondence is yet to be received from  the Sri Lankan side on the visit. The spokesman said Russia is in touch  with the Sri Lankan institutions.

“As you know, President Ranil  Wickremesinghe ordered to send a delegation to Moscow headed by Mr.  Kamal Gunaratne in order to discuss the issues of Sri Lankans’  participation in the conflict. But until now, there is still no official  request from your government regarding this mission. We await the  correspondent note,” he said.