Four Indian citizens have returned home after being fraudulently admitted into a private Russian military force and forced to participate in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Times of India reported.
Among the returnees is Mohammad Sufiyan from Telangana, who had previously released a video seven months ago pleading for help. Accompanying him are three other Indians from Karnataka, all of whom fell victim to a job scam that lured approximately 60 young men from India with false promises of employment in Russia.
While Sufiyan and the others are now safely back in India, many more remain stranded in Russia, caught in similar difficulties and forced to serve as soldiers in the war.
The deceitful recruitment campaign promised lucrative jobs as security personnel or support staff in Russia. Many young men seeking better opportunities travelled to Russia in December 2023, only to discover the horrific reality upon arrival.
“We were treated like slaves,” Sufiyan recounted in an interview with TOI. “Our days started at 6 am, and we worked for 15 hours without any respite. The conditions were inhuman.” He described how they were assigned the toughest tasks with minimal food rations.
After being compelled into military service, the men were forced to dig trenches and trained to operate rifles, including the AK-12 and AK-74, hand grenades, and other explosives.
“Our hands were blistered, our backs ached, and our spirits were broken,” Sufiyan continued. “If we showed any signs of exhaustion, they threatened us with gunfire to keep us working.”
Their phones were confiscated, severing all communication with the outside world. They lived in constant fear, unsure of when or if they would see their families again.
Syed Ilias Hussaini from Karnataka, another rescued victim, expressed the oppressive fear that shadowed their existence. “We didn’t know how long we would live,” he said, reflecting on the trauma they endured.
Amidst the chaos, the thought of returning home became a small comfort. However, both Hussaini and Sufiyan shared that they are still haunted by the harrowing experiences and loss they witnessed, including the tragic death of Sufiyan’s friend Hamil in a drone strike during their service.
“Hamil was a very good friend from Gujarat. He was killed in a drone attack, part of a team of 24 soldiers that included one Indian and one Nepali. It shook me up,” Sufiyan recalled, highlighting the urgency that led them to contact their families for help.
The families, alarmed by the dire situation, reached out to Union External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, who intervened to facilitate the rescue of the four men.
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Source: BT
