Indian families of men duped into fighting for Russia hopeful after Putin’s promise
Four Indian nationals have lost their lives in the war while 10 have returned home so far, according to New Delhi’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). A viral video uploaded earlier this year showed several men from the states of Punjab and Haryana in army uniforms claiming they were deceived into fighting in Ukraine and pleading for help.
There are no official figures available but it is believed up to 40 Indians are still stuck in Russia – it is unclear how many of them are involved in the conflict.
Addressing a press conference after the end of Modi’s two-day tour, Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra confirmed the deal reached between Modi and Putin, saying the “Russian side promised early discharge of all Indian nationals from the service of the Russian army”.
“I was keenly waiting for some news about Modi raising this issue. And when I heard, I just rushed to my mother to tell her. These last six months have been nothing short of hell for her,” Sajad Yousuf Kumar, Aazad’s 36-year-old brother, said. The family hails from the Pulwama village in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Aazad has yet to see his son, who was born after he left for work in Russia last December to support his family financially, Sajad said.
The family was assured by the Indian foreign ministry that the matter of Aazad’s return, along with other Indians stranded in the Ukraine war, would be highlighted to the Russian authorities, Sajad added.
“Only last month 30 families like ours assembled in New Delhi and met Charanjeet Singh, additional secretary foreign minister. He compiled a list of people stranded in Russia and assured us that the government would address the matter,” he said.
“We are happy that Prime Minister Modi raised this matter with the Russian president himself. We are now eagerly awaiting my brother’s return. Until he is safely home, this assurance won’t fully comfort us.”
Kumar said his brother was among 18 people in his batch, including some Nepalese, who were entangled in the war and struggling to survive each day.
“I had a telephone call with him [Aazad] last night, before the Putin announcement,” Sajad said. “He told me that nine of his colleagues were sent to the front while the rest were tasked with building bunkers. I haven’t spoken with him since to find out if he has heard the news about his return home.”
Keeping faith
Zahoor Ahmad Sheikh, 29, from Kupwara village in Indian Kashmir, also left home in November last year hoping to earn a decent living in Russia, only to find himself trapped in the Ukraine war.
Sheikh has been missing since January, according to his family, who have not lost hope of finding him.
“The announcement [Putin’s assurance] has given us a glimmer of hope. If all Indians are returned to India, maybe he [Sheikh] is still alive,” Mudasir Ahmad, brother of Sheikh, told This Week in Asia.
Sheikh was working for a private company in Chandigarh state when he got a job opportunity in November last year in Russia through Baba Vlogs. Two of his colleagues- Arbab Ahmad from Uttar Pradesh and Mohammad Afsan from Hyderabad- were also offered the job.
After he arrived in Moscow, Sheikh called home but there has been no communication with him since January, Mudasir said.
04:28
‘I just want him back’: Indian national dies after reportedly being tricked into fighting for Russia
“Initially, we thought he must be busy adjusting to his new job. But after five days, it was Arbab who called us and said they had been thrown into a war zone. There has been a huge attack and he has managed to escape without knowing the whereabouts of Afsan and Sheikh.”
A few days after the call, news of Afsan’s death was reported in the media while Sheikh remains missing.
“We have written to the Indian embassy in Russia and even went to Delhi but to no avail,” said Mudasir, adding that the family’s appeal to Indian authorities was their “last hope” to see Sheikh alive.
In Kalimpong, an Indian town in the Himalayan foothills of West Bengal state, Ambika Tamang and her two daughters have been eagerly awaiting the return of her husband.
Urgen Tamag was a private security guard before he moved to Russia in January through a recruiting agent.
“He wanted to have a better future for our daughters. Little did we know that it would turn into a nightmare for us,” Ambika said.
After arriving in Russia, Urgen was initially able to call home but thereafter, his family did not hear from him for more than a month. In March, Urgen called Ambika and pleaded to be rescued.
During the phone call, Urgen asked Ambika to see a video on YouTube, where he was appealing to the Indian government to evacuate him. He asked his wife to share the video widely and spread the message.
“Now Russia has agreed to send all Indians back home, my eyes are glued to the door, waiting to see my husband return,” Ambika said.
Former Indian diplomat Anil Trigunayat said Modi raising the issue of Indian men who were misled into fighting in the war in Ukraine and Putin’s decision to discharge them reflected the special partnership between Delhi and Moscow.
“But the fact remains that much more stringent screening and busting of [errant] agents are required so that such malpractices are stopped in India and innocent people do not fall prey to such designs,” he said.