Family members of Sri Lankans serving as mercenaries in Russia staged a protest outside the Russian Embassy in Colombo on Tuesday, May 29. The demonstrators, which included Members of Parliament Dayasiri Jayasekara and Gamini Valeboda, demanded urgent intervention to repatriate their loved ones facing significant hardships.

"We urgently need to bring these individuals back to Sri Lanka as soon as possible," a family member said, highlighting the dangers and financial difficulties their relatives face. Concerns were also raised about the mercenaries being deceived into dangerous situations and losing contact with their families.

A memorandum was delivered to the Russian Embassy, and the protesters had a meeting with the Russian Ambassador, Levan Dzhagaryan. The embassy, via Facebook, stated that the ambassador promised to provide as much assistance as possible.

Sri Lanka's State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Tharaka Balasuriya, announced that a specialized delegation will be sent to Russia to investigate the welfare of Sri Lankans caught in the ongoing conflict. The delegation, which includes high-ranking officials, aims to determine the exact number of Sri Lankans in Russia and to facilitate their return.

Reports have emerged of mercenaries being captured by Ukrainian forces in Donetsk, and there are ongoing investigations into human trafficking involving retired Sri Lankan military personnel who were lured to Russia under false pretenses. The situation remains critical, with numerous complaints from families about missing soldiers and confirmed deaths among the deployed mercenaries.