New Delhi/Moscow:

Russia has decided to discharge all Indians working in the Russian army after Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue with President Vladimir Putin during his Moscow visit, said sources.

At least two Indians have died fighting Russia’s war against Ukraine while dozens stuck in the war zone claim they were tricked into taking up the fighting role.

PM Modi, who is in Moscow for a two-day visit, raised the issue at a private dinner hosted by Putin last evening, sources said. Russia agreed to discharge all Indians serving in their army and facilitate their return, they added.

At the dinner meet, Putin also congratulated PM Modi for being re-elected for a third term and spoke about the rising stature of the Indian economy, sources said.

Nearly two dozen Indians are believed to have been forced into fighting the war against Ukraine after being tricked by agents into going to the country on the pretext of getting high-paying jobs.

A viral video earlier this year showed a group of men from Punjab and Haryana – wearing army uniforms – claiming they were tricked into fighting the war in Ukraine and doubling down on their request for help.

The government in March said they had “strongly” taken up the matter with Russian authorities for their early discharge. “Strong action has been initiated against agents and unscrupulous elements who recruited them on false pretexts and promises,” they said.

Indian probe agencies have also carried out raids and busted a ring involved in trafficking Indians to Russia. During the raids, it emerged that these firms sent at least 35 Indians to Russia, though an official said it was not clear if all of them were forced to fight in the war.

PM Modi in Russia

PM Modi landed in Moscow last evening, which marks his first visit to the country since it launched a war against Ukraine. Russia’s First Deputy PM Denis Manturov received him at the airport.

The Prime Minister will hold bilateral talks with Putin today and also attend the 22nd India-Russia summit in Moscow.

PM Modi has been treading a fine line between maintaining a longstanding relationship with Moscow and courting closer Western security ties. The visit is also PM Modi’s first since he returned to power for a third term.

New Delhi:

The CBI’s raids on agents and companies involved in trafficking Indians to Russia have revealed the nefarious ways in which youngsters were duped into fighting the country’s wars against Ukraine. 

While some were sent on the pretext of being given jobs as delivery boys, others were told they would be working as helpers for the Russian army, but were categorically assured that their duties would have nothing to do with the frontlines. The youngsters were also told that since Russia needs manpower in the war effort, the country would issue a “government official” card to them, which would all but guarantee a permanent residency

The agents’ lies have been exposed not just by the fact that at least one man from Hyderabad is alleged to have died in the fighting, but also by the CBI’s first information report (FIR) against the companies, which states that some Indians were also grievously injured in the warzone.

In a briefing on Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs also acknowledged the trafficking and the risks involved. “Several Indian nationals have been duped into working with the Russian Army… We once again appeal to Indian nationals to not be swayed by offers made by agents for support jobs with the Russian Army. This is fraught with danger and risk to life,” it said. 

Weaving Dreams 

The CBI’s FIR names 17 agents and companies but NDTV’s conversations with the families of trafficked youngsters have revealed that one of the key movers and shakers was Dubai-based Faizan Khan aka Baba, who ran a popular YouTube channel called ‘Baba Vlogs’. Khan is also named in the case. 

In one of his videos on the channel, Khan is seen in St Petersburg, Russia. He begins the video by pointing out how Finland and Estonia are less than 150 km away from the city and says in Hindi, “You can understand when you are so close, in hushed words, the things you can do when you get here.”

Showing his viewers how beautiful St Petersburg is and how far it is from the fighting, Khan goes on to say that there are jobs available as delivery boys and also as helpers with the Russian army. 

“When you join as helpers, it is not rocket science, you don’t have to fire a cannon or guns or go to the frontlines. Once the army has crossed an area, your job will be to empty buildings, get stuff out, or guard ammunition. Your job will be as a helper or a security guard,” he says.

Khan tells the youngsters that they will be given training for three months, during which they will be paid Rs 40,000 each month, which will increase to Rs 1 lakh a month after that.

“The main advantage is that you will get a government official card. You will stay in a nice place and get decent food. You will get priority everywhere. Based on that card, you can get Schengen visas, go to some other country or get a PR visa. The government’s thinking is that if you support them now, they will also give you a benefit, they will give you a PR visa,” he said.

“If there was any danger or you had to be on the frontlines, even I would not have done this. I have confirmed everything personally. You will be my responsibility and if you had to be part of the war, it would be a problem for me too. You will not be on the border, you will just have to help the Army,” Khan assured his viewers.

The fee for all this, the agent said, would be Rs 3 lakh and his team would pick people up from the airport and help them with everything. 

This is exactly how Mohammed Asfan, the 30-year-old Hyderabadi man whose death was confirmed in the fighting against Ukraine on Wednesday, was fooled. His family said he and two of his friends had got in touch with Khan and they had been taken to Russia after being promised jobs as helpers in government offices in the country. 

CBI’s Case

The CBI, which carried out raids in seven cities – Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram, Ambala, Chandigarh and Madurai – on Thursday, and also registered a case, has mentioned in its FIR that other agents also used a similar playbook. 

“The above accused persons themselves, and through their agents, trafficked Indian nationals to Russia on the pretext of getting jobs related to Russian Army (as) security guards, helper,” the FIR states. 

“Further, it has been learnt that on reaching Russia, passports of these Indian Nationals were taken/snatched by agents at Russia. They were being trained in combat roles and provided with Russian army uniform and batches. Thereafter, these Indian Nationals are/were being deployed at front bases in Russia – Ukraine War Zone against their wishes and put their lives in grave danger. It has been ascertained that some human trafficking victims were also got grievously injured in the war zone (sic),” the agency has said in the FIR.

The CBI has also mentioned that many Indians were being taken on education visas by promising them admission to “dubious” private universities in Russia. “Thereafter, they are left at the mercy of visa agents and college authorities,” it said. 

New Delhi:

At least 20 Indians who are trapped in Russia have contacted the Indian authorities, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said today.

India is trying its best to bring back the Indians and are in touch with Russian authorities, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters today.

The Centre on February 23 had acknowledged that some Indians are entangled in Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine, stating that the government is coordinating with its Russian counterpart to facilitate their release.

Reports had emerged that dozens of Indians were allegedly duped into military service in Russia.

The unsuspecting Indians were promised support jobs, but were ultimately enlisted in the Russian army, receiving misleading translations of documents and undergoing military training against their initial understanding.

Among those who were duped into fighting for Russia is a man from Jammu and Kashmir, whose distraught family is waiting for his return.

A job agent had lured Azad Yousf Kumar and he ended up on the Ukraine border. The family said the 31-year-old was forced to fight the war and appealed to the government to intervene and help get their son back.

“We request the government of India for his safe return and to reach back his home safely. All Indian children should return safely,” Asad Yousf’s cousin said.

A skilled labourer in digging tube wells, Kumar is a resident of Poshwan in Pulwama district. He is among the two Kashmiris who were duped into fighting for Russia in December last year. Days after getting “enlisted” in the Russian military, he suffered a gunshot wound in his foot.