Over the last year, about 100 Indian citizens were recruited at a Moscow centre of the Russian Army, without financial obligations prior to their recruitment. These individuals, accepting positions as ‘army security helpers,’ were fully briefed about potential dangers and signed contracts binding them for at least a year with no leave for the first six months. They were promised a monthly salary of ₹1.95 lakh plus ₹50,000 in additional benefits. Applicants underwent rigorous psychometric testing, background checks, and received details about the possible risks and nature of their assignments, which could vary from battlefield roles to porter work. Despite these assurances, the reality for some was shockingly different.
Reports emerged of Indian recruits, initially promised non-combatant roles, being forcibly deployed to conflict zones near the Russia-Ukraine border, with at least one injury reported during training. The situation escalated as more Indian nationals came forward, describing how their passports were confiscated and their distress calls to the Indian Embassy in Moscow were allegedly ignored.
These developments first gained attention when AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi appealed to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on January 25, urging the government’s intervention to secure their safe return. The issue is notably complex, as individuals from various nations have also been recruited by the Russian Army amid the ongoing war with Ukraine that began on February 24, 2022. While some Indians had volunteered to fight for Ukraine in 2022, this was the first noted instance of Indians being implicated in combat on the Russian side.
Amongst the victims of this recruitment scam were men from Telangana and Karnataka, who were deceived by false job promises, hefty salaries, and allegedly by a recruiter running a YouTube channel in Maharashtra. The tale of these young men highlights a broader scheme, as reports suggest that another 60 Indians have also been forcibly drafted into Russia’s Wagner Group, a privately-funded military organization engaged in the Ukraine conflict. Families were understandably distraught upon learning that their loved ones were not only trapped in a foreign land but were also coerced into participation in an armed conflict just 40 km from the frontlines of war.