Indians in Russian Army | Were Indians forced to work in the Russian army? Strict action should be taken against agents who cheat in the name of work, MEA statement

Indians in Russia: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday said that many Indian citizens have been duped into serving in the Russian Army in the ongoing war in Ukraine and strict action has been taken against the agents recruiting them under false pretenses. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the matter has been strongly taken up with the Russian authorities for the early release of such Indian nationals.

Jaiswal said in a regular press briefing “CBI yesterday busted a major human trafficking network while conducting searches in multiple cities and collected incriminating evidence. A case of human trafficking has been registered against several agents. We once again appeal to the Indian citizens to support Do not be deceived by offers made by agents for jobs with the Russian Army. It is full of danger and risk to life.

“We are committed to the early release of our citizens serving as support staff in the Russian Army and their eventual return home,” Jaiswal said. This came as the Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that a Hyderabad youth who had been betrayed in the Russia-Ukraine war was killed on the front lines, a day after the CBI busted a racket linked to a human trafficking network.

CBI investigation into human trafficking network

Officials said the agency has registered an FIR against various visa consultancy firms and agents. He said that during the search many people have been detained and Rs 50 lakh has been seized. He said the agency has found 35 instances in which youth were lured to Russia with false promises of high-paying jobs through social media channels and local contacts and agents.

In a statement, a CBI spokesperson said the trafficked Indian nationals were trained in combat roles and deployed against their will to forward bases in the Russia-Ukraine war zone, putting their lives in danger. The federal agency has filed FIRs against some visa consultancy firms and agents. After this, searches were conducted at 13 places in Delhi, Thiruvananthapuram, Mumbai, Ambala, Chandigarh, Madurai and Chennai.

The central probe agency has registered a case against 24×7 RAS Overseas Foundation and its director Suyash Mukut in Delhi, OSD Bros Travels and Visa Services Pvt Ltd and its director Rakesh Pandey in Mumbai, Adventure Visa Services Pvt Ltd and its director Manjeet Singh and Baba Vlogs in Chandigarh. Have done. Overseas Recruitment Solutions Pvt Ltd in Dubai and its director Faisal Abdul Mutalib Khan alias Baba. “It is learned that some of the victims also suffered serious injuries in the war zone,” the official said.

Indians killed in Russia-Ukraine war

Early last week, multiple media reported that a 23-year-old man was killed in a drone strike on the battlefield. According to media reports, the killed youth, Hemil Ashvinbhai Mangukiya, was a resident of Surat, Gujarat and was killed on February 21 in Donetsk, near the Russian border. However, Indian officials did not confirm whether anyone was killed in the battle.

Later on Wednesday, a 30-year-old man from Hyderabad was also killed in the Ukraine war. Subsequently, the Indian Embassy in Moscow confirmed the killing and expressed condolences. The youth was identified as Mohammed Asfan, a resident of Hyderabad, the capital of Telangana. “He had no idea he was being sent to a war zone,” said his brother Mohammad Imran.

According to a report in the Guardian, Mangukiya seemed to be moving away from the war in Ukraine to a secure security job. However, a few weeks before his death, he told his family that he was sent to a month-long military training camp and then taken to the front lines, where he was trained to dig trenches, carry ammunition, and operate rifles and machine guns. Was asked for.

Mangukiya’s death has shed light on the fate of dozens – by some estimates, hundreds – of Indians and Nepalis who, after signing up for roles described as military auxiliaries or security guards, were forced against their will in the Russia-Ukraine war. Had come to the front line. , The Nepalese government was forced to ban citizens from working in Russia and Ukraine.

Indians on vacation were forced to fight

Almost a week after the Indian government admitted that some youth from Telangana, Karnataka and other districts were fraudulently recruited into the Russian Army, another video surfaced on several social media platforms where seven youth from Punjab and Haryana Said that he was forced to fight in this war.

In the 105-second video, one of the seven, identified as 19-year-old Harsh from Karnal, Haryana, narrated how he was inducted into the army and later sent to the forward area without his consent . Some of them were reportedly from Punjab who had gone to Russia on December 23 last year.

A person said in the video We came to visit Russia as tourists for the New Year on December 27. We met an agent who helped us navigate to various locations. Later, the agent offered to take us to Belarus. However, we didn’t know that we would need a visa for the country. We went to Belarus where we gave him the money, but he asked for more money. He left us on a highway because we didn’t have money to pay him.

Mohammed Sufiyan from Hyderabad is one of the many youths who were allegedly duped by some agents and groomed to fight for Russia in the ongoing conflict against Ukraine. Sufiyan’s family has demanded the Central Government as well as the Ministry of External Affairs to safely rescue the youth trapped in Russia and take strict action against the agents.

Sufiyan’s brother Imran told news agency ANI “My brother was taken by Baba Blocks company, which has offices in Dubai, Delhi and Mumbai. The first batch went out on November 12, 2023. A total of 21 youth were sent and Rs 3 lakh was taken from each of them ” “He was asked to sign an agreement in Russia on November 13,” Sufiyan’s brother Imran told news agency ANI.

#WATCH , MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, “Several Indian nationals have been duped to work in the Russian army. We have strongly taken up the matter for the early discharge of such Indian nationals. Strong action has been initiated against agents who recruited them on… pic.twitter.com/4o9Puxxm9Y

— ANI (@ANI) March 8, 2024