Indian Citizens Say They Were Illegally Conscripted by Russia

Seven Indian citizens have released a video message saying they were coerced into joining the war in Ukraine on the side of Russia, with the video posted on the X social network by NDTV journalist Uma Sudhir.

As reported by Radio Svoboda, the individuals stated that they arrived in Russia as tourists at the end of December last year. They were then offered a trip to Belarus by a travel agency, to which they agreed.

According to the Indian citizens, they were unaware of the need for a visa to travel to Belarus, stating “When we arrived in Belarus, the agent asked us for money and then disappeared.”

However, upon arrival in Belarus, they claim they were detained by the police and handed over to Russian authorities, who forced them to sign documents in Russian without the presence of an interpreter.

The Indian publication News 18 reported that these individuals underwent 15 days of military training before being sent to “the place where the war is going on.” They also said being told that the alternative to military service would be 10 years in prison.

Journalist Uma Sudhir highlighted in her post that “7 of them who met in Russia may be deployed any time, without any training, to fight the war in Ukraine.”

The Russian side has not yet responded to these allegations.

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Previously, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India confirmed reports that Indians in the Russian army are seeking help for demobilization, with some already being released.

India had requested Russia to allow its citizens, who had signed contracts with the Russian army, to be released before the expiration of their contracts. The ministry stated that several Indian citizens serve on contract in the combat zone in "support work," without specifying the exact number.

The Indian embassy in Moscow is monitoring the situation of Indians in the Russian army and negotiating with Russian authorities for their early release.

Reports also indicated that last year, around 100 Indians were hired under contracts for a minimum period of one year, and several have since been released.

Additionally, the Center of National Resistance reported that foreign mercenaries are being trained in Russia for hostilities in Ukraine, with promises of salaries ranging from $2,000 to $4,000. However, they are allegedly paid only a fraction of this amount.

Russian special services are said to be actively recruiting citizens from Syria, Nepal, Afghanistan, India, Congo, Egypt, and Central Asian countries for these purposes.