 "When he first reached Russia, Kumar informed his family that he had arrived safely. Image: Moneycontrol")
Rakesh Kumar, a 30-year-old man from Uttarakhand, had gone to Russia recently to pursue higher studies but was reportedly moved to the battlefield in Ukraine.
Reports say that Kumar reached Russia last month for his studies, but within a short time, he was allegedly made to join the Russian army and sent to Ukraine.
His family has written to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), asking for help from the Indian embassy in Moscow.
So, who is Rakesh Kumar? What happened in Russia?
Here’s a look:
What happened?
Rakesh Kumar, who hails from Uttarakhand’s Udham Singh Nagar, had recently gone to Russia for higher studies but was allegedly forced to join the Russian army and sent to fight in Ukraine, his family told The Times of India.
They said they have not heard from him since the beginning of this month and are now seeking urgent help.
His family has written to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), approached the Indian embassy in Moscow, and contacted local authorities in an effort to bring him back.
A resident of Kushmoth village, Kumar left for Russia on August 7 after getting admission to St Petersburg University on a study visa.
What happened in Russia?
When he first reached Russia, Kumar informed his family that he had arrived safely.
But within days, his situation became worrying, and he hinted that things were not going as expected.
His elder brother, Deepu Maurya, told TOI that their last direct call with Rakesh was on August 30. During that conversation, Rakesh said he had been forced into the Russian army and would soon be sent to the war front in Ukraine.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsSoon after, his phone became unreachable.
The family then received a photo showing Rakesh in a Russian army uniform, which confirmed their fears.
A few days later, he called again from an unknown Russian number.
In that short and anxious call, he said his passport and personal papers had been taken away, his emails were deleted, and that he had received military training in the Donbas region before being pushed to the front lines.
This was the last conversation between them, the report said.
They said they submitted a written request to the MEA on September 5.
Not the first time
This is not the first incident of its kind in recent months.
Around 20 Indian nationals, many of them from Punjab and Haryana, have claimed that they were misled into travelling to Russia on promises of education and jobs, but were later compelled to join the Russian military.
Earlier this month, the Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement asking Russia to stop recruiting Indians into its army.
New Delhi also called for the release of all Indians currently serving in Russian forces after reports emerged of fresh recruitment drives targeting Indians.
The MEA advised Indian citizens not to accept any offers to join the Russian army because of the serious “risks and dangers” involved.
“We have seen reports about Indian nationals having been recruited recently into the Russian army,” ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement.
“The government has on several occasions over the past one year underlined the risks and dangers inherent in this course of action and cautioned Indian citizens accordingly,” the statement added.