'Treated like slaves, worked 15 hours daily': Four Indians tricked into joining Russian Army return home

Four Indian citizens have returned home on Friday after being duped into joining a private Russian military force and being forced to participate in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Sunita Iyer

First Published Sep 14, 2024, 1:51 PM IST | Last Updated Sep 14, 2024, 1:51 PM IST

Four Indian citizens have returned home on Friday after being duped into joining a private Russian military force and being forced to participate in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. This distressing revelation comes after months of harrowing conditions and exploitation, as detailed in a report by The Times of India.

Mohammad Sufiyan, hailing from Telangana, was one of the Indian nationals who had previously released a video pleading for rescue seven months ago. Along with three other individuals from Karnataka, Sufiyan was victimized by a fraudulent job offer that promised security positions or other civilian roles in Russia. Approximately 60 young men from India fell prey to this deceptive scheme.

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The victims were lured to Russia in December 2023 under the pretense of employment opportunities. However, upon arrival, they were subjected to severe exploitation and abuse. The men were coerced into serving as soldiers in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, a stark departure from the promised job roles.

Sufiyan recounted their ordeal, stating, “We were treated like slaves. We were woken up at 6 am every day and made to work 15 hours straight—with no rest or sleep. The conditions were inhuman.”

The workers faced extreme physical exhaustion, with minimal rations and harsh working conditions. Their tasks included digging trenches and operating assault rifles, and they were even trained in the use of Kalashnikov rifles, hand grenades, and other explosives.

The psychological toll of their ordeal was profound. “Our hands were blistered, our backs ached, and our spirits were broken. Yet if we showed any signs of exhaustion, bullets were fired at us to force us back into laborious tasks,” Sufiyan told TOI.

The confiscation of their phones compounded their distress, leaving them isolated from their families and unaware of when they would return home.

Syed Ilias Hussaini, also from Karnataka, described the constant fear and uncertainty they lived with, not knowing how long they would survive. Despite the perilous environment, the thought of reuniting with their families provided some solace. However, the traumatic experiences, including the death of Sufiyan’s friend Hamil in a drone attack, left lasting scars.

Hamil, who was from Gujarat, was killed along with other soldiers, including a Nepali national. Sufiyan described this event as a turning point that prompted them to contact their families.

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"Every day we woke up not knowing if it would be our last. The sound of gunfire and explosions became a constant backdrop to our lives, and we lived in perpetual fear," Ilias told TOI.

"We longed for the comfort of our families and the safety of our homes. The thought of never seeing them again haunted us every day," Sufiyan added.

The families, deeply concerned for the safety of their loved ones, reached out to India’s Union External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar. The intervention of the minister was instrumental in facilitating their rescue and return to India.

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