The Russian Army has recruited around 100 Indians as “security helpers” at its Moscow recruitment centre over the past year, The Hindu reported, citing officials. Further, at least three Indians employed by Russia as security personnel were reportedly forced to fight with the Russian military on the Russia-Ukraine border in January.
Indians Recruited in Russian Army
An Indian-origin official told The Hindu that all recruits are informed about the risks associated with the work before signing the contract to join as “army security helpers.”
The official stated that the Russian Army does not charge any money prior to their recruitment. The actual number of Indians hired may be higher, as the official only disclosed statistics for the Moscow centre, and there are other recruitment centres in Russia.
As per the reports, the contract is effective for at least a year and mandates no leave or exit before six months of service. Workers were offered Rs. 1.95 lakh (~$2,350) monthly salaries and Rs. 50,000 (~$600) in additional benefits.
“The workers undergo a psychometric test and are explained the risks before they are sent for training. Since they are hired as helpers, it all depends on the command to which they will be sent. It could either be to the battlefield or they may be asked to work as porters. Their consent is taken. A background check is conducted to ensure no spies are recruited,” the official explained.
Over the past one year, around 100 Indians were recruited by the Russian Army at its Moscow recruitment centre, according to an official who works for the Russian Ministry of Defence, reports @vijaitahttps://t.co/gqoJrtZsCx
— The Hindu (@the_hindu) February 22, 2024
One of the workers, a resident of Uttar Pradesh (UP), claimed that they were deceived by an agent who promised them they would not be deployed to the war zone. Additionally, the workers claimed their passports and documents had been seized and they were not allowed to return. They asserted that desperate pleas for help with the Indian Embassy in Moscow had gone unanswered.
On Wednesday, more Indians stepped forward to demand government assistance. Two people from Jammu & Kashmir and Karnataka dressed in combat uniforms sent a video message from Russia to The Hindu. “I received a bullet injury in my leg during training. They have kept us in a house and plan to send us to the war zone. I have mailed and called the Indian Embassy several times but they are not responding. Please help us,” the J&K resident asserted.
Indians Forced to Work in the Russian Army
Since November 2023, about 18 Indians have been trapped in Mariupol, Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Rostov-on-Don on the Russia-Ukraine border, with one person reported killed in the ongoing conflict, the agent claimed. According to one of the UP victims, the “Russian Army” provided three of them with basic training in handling rifles and ammo before sending them to Rostov-on-Don on the Russia-Ukraine border in January, where they faced bullets and were forced to fight at gunpoint.
The victim claimed he travelled to Russia with the help of an agent, Faisal Khan, who manages the YouTube channel “Baba Vlogs.” On 12 November, two Indian agents associated with Mr. Khan met the UP resident in Russia. “On 13 November, we were admitted into a camp and taken to a deserted place around two-and-half hours away from Moscow. We contacted the Indian agents and they assured us that we will be posted as helpers. We lived in tents and were trained to handle weapons. On 4 January, we were sent to Donetsk to fight,” he claimed.
“We faced bullets 7-8 times, a local accompanying me was killed. On 22 January, I managed to flee and got admitted to a hospital with frostbite injuries,” the victim explained.
Sir @DrSJaishankar kindly use your good offices to bring these men back home. Their lives are at risk & their families are justifiably worried. https://t.co/pDmvdeO5HZ
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) February 21, 2024
AIMIM Addresses Russian Recruitment Issue
According to The Hindu, the issue was brought to light after the family of one of the Indian nationals, a Hyderabad resident, contacted Asaduddin Owaisi, president of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen.
“The Indians were allegedly sent to Russia, where they received basic weapons-handling training and were forced onto the battlefield. They were tricked into volunteering for the army and sent to fight in Mariupol, Kharkiv, and Donetsk,” Owaisi stated in a press conference.
“These men made videos where they shared their ordeal. They were duped and then without any training forced onto the frontline to face gunfire on the battlefield. One of their companions has also died in the war,” Owaisi stressed.
On 25 January, Owaisi reportedly wrote to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and the Indian Embassy in Moscow, imploring them to expedite the return of the three Indian nationals. Owaisi reinstated his request on Wednesday through social media. “Kindly use your good offices to bring these men back home. Their lives are at risk & their families are justifiably worried,” Owaisi posted on X.
Russia and Ukraine have been at war since February 2022. A few Indians volunteered to join the International Legion, which was formed to battle Russian forces in Ukraine in 2022. However, the presence of Indians on the Russian side in a combat role has been reported for the first time.