UP Man 'Tricked' Into Joining Russian Army; Family Seeks Centre's Help: 'My Only Son'

A 31-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow who travelled to Belarus in search of employment has allegedly been tricked into joining the Russian military, leaving his family desperately seeking government intervention to secure his release. His relatives fear that he could be deployed to the war frontline within days, putting his life at serious risk.

Identified as Ashish Singh, he left India on June 8 on a work visa after securing an overseas job through an agent. However, four months into his journey, his family allegedly began receiving distress calls in which he claimed he had been deceived into signing up for military service in Russia and was undergoing combat training before being sent to the battlefield.

The Indian Embassy in Moscow has reportedly taken up the matter with the Russian Ministry of Defence, seeking Ashish's release from the military. His family has also approached officials at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), who have reportedly assured them of assistance.

"My brother is terrified and desperate to return home. Every passing day increases the risk to his life," his sister, Sukhmani Singh, an advocate practising at the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court, told TOI.

According to the family's representation to the MEA and the Indian Embassy, Ashish initially travelled to Belarus on June 8 and began working at a farm in Dubina. However, after allegedly failing to receive the promised salary, he moved to a construction site before relocating to Minsk in search of better employment opportunities.

It was during his stay in Minsk that he allegedly encountered individuals who promised him a job in Russia. The family claims that Ashish was subsequently misled into signing up for military service and transported to a Russian military training facility.

The family first became alarmed on October 8, when Ashish contacted them through WhatsApp and revealed that he had allegedly been tricked into joining the Russian military. He reportedly told them that he was undergoing training at a camp identified as "Taifun" or "Typhoon", had been assigned the name "Sher Khan", and was likely to be sent to the frontline soon.

The situation reportedly became more alarming during another phone call on October 21, when Ashish allegedly informed his family that his deployment could happen within six to seven days.

“During another call on October 21, he reportedly told family members that deployment could take place within six to seven days. He also complained of inadequate food, said he was surviving largely on bread and biscuits, and expressed concern that his diabetes was not receiving adequate medical attention,” Sukhmani told TOI.

In a written response to the family, the Indian Embassy in Moscow confirmed that it had requested Ashish's release from the Russian Army and said it would share further updates once it received a response from Russian authorities.

The family has appealed to the Centre to urgently trace Ashish, prevent his deployment to the frontline, facilitate his release and ensure his safe return to India.

“He is my only son and we are worried about his whereabouts and want him to return to India soon,” said his father, Rajendra Singh, a businessman.