Indian youth allegedly tricked into fighting for Russia, Owaisi writes to Union govt

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief and Hyderabad Member of Parliament (MP) Asaduddin Owaisi said on Wednesday, February 21, that at least a dozen Indians were cheated by job agents who promised them work as security guards in Russia, but were later forced to participate in the Russian invasion on Ukraine. This includes two men from Telangana, three from Gulbarga in Karnataka, one from Gujarat, and two from Kashmir, and one from Uttar Pradesh, he said.

“The Indians were allegedly sent to Russia, where they received basic weapons-handling training and were forced onto the battlefield. They were tricked into volunteering for the army and sent to fight in Mariupol, Kharkiv, and Donetsk,” Owaisi said in a press conference, adding that he met the families of the men from Telangana who sought his help.

"These men made videos where they shared their ordeal. They were duped and then without any training forced onto the frontline to face gunfire on the battlefield. One of their companions has also died in the war," Owaisi said. He also pointed out that these are civilians with no combat experience.

"Kindly use your good offices to bring these men back home. Their lives are at risk and their families are justifiably worried," Owaisi tweeted, tagging Jaishankar. He also stated in the press conference that he had written to the Union External Affairs Ministry in December, as well as the Indian Embassy in Moscow seeking intervention. 

Speaking to local media, Asma Shireen from Nampally in Hyderabad, the wife of Mohammed Afsan who is among those trapped in Russia, also requested the Union government to rescue her husband. 

Faisal Khan, a YouTuber whose channel 'Baba Vlogs' has over 3 lakh subscribers, allegedly cheated the Indians. “One of the agents - Faisal Khan - is sitting in Dubai and runs ‘Babavlogs’ (on YouTube). The other agents are Sufiyan and Pooja, both from Mumbai. These three took advantage of the unemployed state of these youngsters and cheated them to send them to Russia,” Owaisi alleged. 

A report by The Hindu said that around 100 Indians were recruited by the Russian Army at its Moscow recruitment centre over the past one year, as reportedly confirmed by an Indian-origin official who works for the Russian Ministry of Defence. The official also said that people from several countries, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan, were being hired by the Russian Army over the past one-and-a-half years.

In February 2022, Russia crossed the international border and invaded Ukraine, marking the biggest conflict Europe has witnessed since the second World War.