Peru's Foreign Minister Goes to Moscow to Ask Lavrov About Peruvians in Russia's Army

Peru's Foreign Minister Carlos Espá Garcés-Alvear has travelled to Moscow and met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to press for information on Peruvians enlisted in Russia's armed forces. In remarks at the start of the meeting, Espá said he came on behalf of the families of more than 459 Peruvians, who have the right to know whether their relatives are alive, dead or prisoners of war.

See also: Peruvian widow says 150 Peruvian bodies are decomposing in a Rostov morgue

The Trip

Espá announced the trip on November 1, according to the Peruvian state news agency Andina. He said he would fly to Russia directly from the Ibero-American Summit in Madrid to meet the highest-level Russian authorities and get accurate information on which Peruvians are dead, missing or on active duty, where they are, and how to repatriate those who died. A government resolution published that day authorized the trip to Moscow from November 6 to 11.

Espá said Peruvians were recruited through lies told by criminal organizations in Peru to fight in "a war that isn't theirs", Andina reported. He said the Foreign Ministry has met the families more than 35 times, and has repatriated 50 Peruvians.

What Espá Told Lavrov

In his opening remarks, Espá described the visit as political, consular and humanitarian. He said it was the first time in 12 years that a Peruvian foreign minister had come to Russia, and that it reflected the Peruvian government's top priority: the urgent and often desperate situation of Peruvians enlisted in Russia's armed forces to fight at the front in Ukraine.

He said Peru wants timely information on their situation and whereabouts, access to wounded Peruvians, and faster repatriation of those who have died, in line with the Vienna Conventions. He expressed hope that the dialogue would produce concrete solutions and stronger coordination between the two countries' foreign and defense ministries, and thanked Lavrov for his willingness and goodwill.

What Peru Says It Knows

On October 19, Espá told a committee of Peru's Chamber of Deputies that 459 Peruvians were believed to have enlisted in Russia's armies, Andina reported. He said the Foreign Ministry had registered 430 cases through contact with families. Among the cases for which it had official information, he said, 25 Peruvians were dead, 187 missing, 132 on active duty and four prisoners of war in Ukraine.

A Safe Way Out

Peruvians and other foreign nationals lured into Russia's armed forces have an option to safely escape the battlefield with Ukraine's "I Want to Live" project. Families who have lost contact with a relative in Russia can turn to the "I Want to Find" project. See our FAQ for recommendations for victims of Russian military recruitment and their families.