Media: Russia to return fraudulently recruited Indian citizens

9 July, 2024 Indian citizens are recruited into the ranks of the Armed Forces of Russia, March 6, 2024 Russia will discharge from service all Indians who have been forcibly or fraudulently mobilized into the Russian army for the war in Ukraine. The Indian media NDTV reported on this, citing its own sources.

Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to release all Indian citizens from military service after a meeting with the country's prime minister in Moscow on July 9. At least two Indians are known to have died during the war against Ukraine. In addition to them, there are several dozen other people who were forced to fight and are now in the war zone.

Mobilization through slave traders

However, the number of Indian citizens involved in the war in Ukraine may be much higher.

In March of this year, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) of India exposed a human trafficking network that fraudulently trafficked people to Russia for forced labor. According to the investigation, a group of people, including three Russian nationals, recruited Indians on the pretext of getting admission to private universities in Russia. However, after reaching Russia, the passports of these Indians were taken by the agents in Russia, and they were forced to fight the Russian side against their will.

"It has been learned that on reaching Russia, the passports of these Indian nationals were taken/snatched by agents in Russia. They were being trained in combat roles and provided with Russian army uniforms and batches. Later, these Indian nationals are/were being deployed at front bases in the Russia-Ukraine war zone against their wishes and put their lives in grave danger," the CBI states.

The CBI has also discovered that one of the agencies based in Delhi allegedly sent around 180 people to Russia, mostly on student visas. Local Indian media also reported on another scheme that involved luring Indians to Russia by promising them jobs in government agencies. "They were duped.

The agent who recruited them said they would work in Moscow only; instead, they were given 15-day training and dropped in Ukraine, where they are being forced to fight," Mohammed Imran, brother of one of the victims, had shared with The Indian Express.

Mohammed Imran with a photo of his brother Afsan. Photo credits: The Indian Express

The deceived Indians were promised a salary of 45,000 rupees per month (£540) for the first three months, which would gradually increase to 1.5 lakh rupees (£1,800). After working for a year, they were allegedly entitled to a Russian passport and citizenship.

It is also reported that some citizens were charged a subscription fee of 1.5 lakh rupees as a commission by the "agency."