As several Indians remain trapped in Russian war zones, a group of seven who are stranded on the Russia-Ukraine border released two videos this week, appealing for the Indian government's intervention to facilitate their return home. The group comprises five individuals from Punjab and two from Haryana.
Their harrowing ordeal began when the men –Gagandeep Singh (24), Lovepreet Singh (24), Narain Singh (22), Gurpreet Singh (21), Gurpreet Singh (23), Harsh Kumar (20), and Abhishek Kumar (21)-- traveling on tourist visas were detained by Russian authorities for lacking a specific document. Allegedly coerced by the police, they were compelled to join the Russian Army under the guise of working as "helpers." According to a member of the group, they were threatened with decade-long imprisonment if they refused.
One of the seven individuals said in their video released on March 3, "An agent offered to take us to Belarus... we were not aware we needed a visa. When we went to Belarus, the agent asked us for more money and then abandoned us. The police caught us and handed us over to Russian authorities, who made us sign documents.”
Another individual from the group recounted their forced enrollment into military training, which included handling arms and ammunition. They said that they had been deprived of food and had their communication devices confiscated. Despite their pleas for assistance, the group said their appeals to Russian authorities have fallen on deaf ears. Moreover, they fear being dispatched to the war-torn region of Ukraine, where they lack any knowledge or training to contribute effectively.
In another video released on March 4, one of the seven, speaking in Hindi, urged the Indian Embassy and government for immediate aid. Expressing desperation, he indicated that their current circumstances could be their last opportunity to communicate, as they face the imminent prospect of deployment to the conflict zone.
TNM had earlier reported how a YouTuber’s recruitment videos trapped many Indian men in the Russian warzone. Most victims of the scam reached Russia with the help of an agent named Faizal Khan, who operates the YouTube channel Baba Vlogs. The families of the victims accuse him of deceiving them with the offer of security/helper jobs in Russia.
The External Affairs Ministry on February 29 said that approximately 20 Indians, including the aforementioned group, had sought assistance from the Indian Embassy in Moscow.