Russia Launches New Wave of Deceptive Recruitment of Indian Citizens into Its Military

Russians have launched a new wave of recruiting Indian citizens into the military. They are being enticed to participate in the war against Ukraine through deception.

The Indian publication The Times of India cites the example of 30-year-old Rakesh Kumar from Udham Singh Nagar district, Uttarakhand state. He disappeared after, according to his family, he was forcibly mobilized and sent to the front lines.

Rakesh traveled to Russia on August 7 with a student visa. He enrolled at Saint Petersburg University. Just a few weeks later, he reported that the situation was not developing as planned.

The last contact with him was on August 30. In a phone call, Rakesh told his brother that he had been forced to join the military. He was being prepared for deployment to the combat zone.

After that, all communication was lost. The family received a photo showing Rakesh in a Russian army uniform. Later, he called again from an unknown number.

He reported that his documents had been confiscated, his email accounts deleted, and that he himself had undergone training in Donbas. That was the last call.

The family contacted the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Embassy in Moscow, and local authorities.

This case is not unique. In recent months, at least 20 Indians, mainly from Punjab and Haryana, have claimed that they were lured to Russia under false pretenses.

In October 2024, India repatriated 85 recruited citizens after at least nine Indians were killed on the front lines.

The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed criminal cases against 19 people involved in the recruitment and made several arrests.

According to Vikramjit Singh Sahneib, a member of the Indian Parliament, most Indian citizens who end up in the war are invited to Russia ostensibly to be offered jobs, and then, without an interpreter, are forced to sign contracts with the Ministry of Defense.

Most often, people only realize that they have been sent to the front line after arriving at their destination.