 "Duped, deployed and forgotten: Families of Indians caught in Russia-Ukraine war cry for help")
The families of Indian men trapped in Russia’s war with Ukraine are living through anguish and uncertainty — some mourning loved ones who never made it home, others still waiting for word from those missing for weeks.
Among the victims, one thing is common — they were lured by agents with promises of safe, high-paying security jobs, forced to sign contracts written in Russian, and sent to the warfront against their will.
Dozens of families of deceased and missing Indians, including Sonu Kumar, Aman Punia and Mohammed Ahmed, have now come together at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on Monday (November 3, 2025).
‘They told him he’d be a security guard, not a soldier’
In Hisar, Haryana, Sonu Kumar was among those who travelled to Russia on a study visa. His brother, Vikas Kumar, told Firstpost’s Bhanu Pratap that Sonu was persuaded by agents to extend his stay with the promise of a secure, well-paying job.
“Sonu was told he would work as a security guard and would not be taken anywhere near the war zone,” Vikas said. “He trusted them because they assured him he would earn well and be safe.”
However, the family’s last conversation with him was on 3 September. “He said he was being sent to the front line and that his phone would soon be confiscated,” Vikas recalled.
Just days later, tragedy struck. “On 19 September, we received a Telegram message from Russian authorities saying that our brother had been missing since 6 September and that his body had been found. They told us that if we wanted to take the mortal remains, they could transport them to Moscow airport,” he said to Firstpost.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe family agreed but were told that they would have to cover the cost of bringing the body from Moscow to India. “They said, ‘From Moscow onwards, it’s your responsibility’. We somehow managed the expenses,” Vikas said.
According to him, Sonu’s body was severely burnt. “It was identified only with the help of computer scans,” he said.
Videos of Sonu’s funeral later went viral on social media, showing that a Russian army uniform and flag were sent home along with his remains.
“He went there on a student visa. He was not a soldier. Why was he sent to die?” Vikas asked.
‘He said he was in grave danger and could die soon’
Another youth from Hisar, Aman Punia, has been missing for weeks. His elder brother, Ashu Punia, told Firstpost’s Bhanu Pratap that Aman was also duped by agents who promised him a lucrative security guard job.
“They approached him when his study visa was about to expire and said he would get a job and permanent residency in Russia,” Ashu said. “He didn’t know they were sending him to war.”
Aman last contacted his family on 15 October, warning that he was in grave danger. “He told us, ‘They are sending me to the front. I might die soon,’” Ashu recalled.
According to the family, Aman was forced to sign a contract written in Russian, and when he tried to translate it using his phone, it was snatched away. “He was pressured to sign without understanding what was written,” Ashu said.
After just 15 days of training, Aman was reportedly sent to the Ukraine front. “He was later injured and abandoned by his commander,” Ashu claimed. “He somehow crawled back to his bunker after three days but was denied medical help. We saw photos of him wounded.”
The family alleged that his phone and money were taken away while he was injured. “We have taken time to meet officials at the Ministry of External Affairs, but there’s been no concrete help yet,” Ashu said.
Before losing contact, Aman recorded a short video pleading for rescue.
“He said he was in grave danger and begged the Indian government and Prime Minister Modi to bring him home. We just pray he returns alive,” his brother said.
“We just want justice,” said Ashu Punia. “Our brothers went there for jobs, not to fight someone else’s war.”
‘He was given a gun and told to fight’
In Hyderabad, Mohammed Ahmed, a 37-year-old bouncer from Khairatabad, met a similar fate. He was promised a job in the construction and warehouse sector — and even the prospect of permanent residency in Russia — but ended up on the front lines.
“He has been given a weapon and made to fight near the Ukraine border. Our only request to the government is to bring him back safely,” Ahmed’s relative Firdous Begum told Firstpost’s Bhanu Pratap.
Ahmed’s niece, who wish not to be named also joined other families in a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, said the family has been desperate for updates. “He was promised a warehouse job. He had already worked in Georgia and returned home before this agent trapped him with fake promises,” she said.
Ahmed travelled to Russia on 25 April through an agent based in Mumbai. But once there, he was allegedly forced into the army. His family said he tried to escape by jumping off an army vehicle near the border and fractured his right leg — yet was made to continue fighting.
“He said he was forced to sign a contract written in Russian. When he tried to translate it on his phone, they snatched it and made him sign,” she said. “He is being beaten and tortured to fight a war he never agreed to.”
Firdous Begum, Ahmed’s close relative, said that after reaching Russia, Ahmed was left without work for nearly a month. “Later, He and about 30 others were taken to a remote area and trained in weapons. Six of them are Indians,” she told Firstpost.
“After training, 26 were sent to the frontline. While being taken to the border, He jumped from the vehicle and fractured his leg. He told me that 17 people from his group have died fighting the Ukrainian army. He is now being threatened to fight or be killed,” she added.
“He is the only breadwinner for our family,” Ahmed’s niece said. “His wife has been hospitalised multiple times since he left. His only mistake was to dream of a better life for us.”
Firdous has submitted a representation to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, urging immediate intervention to bring Ahmed back safely.
India raises issue with Moscow
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has said it has raised the issue of Indian nationals being recruited into the Russian army and urged Moscow to stop the practice amid the ongoing war with Ukraine.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the government has repeatedly warned citizens about the “risks and dangers” of joining the Russian military.
“We have seen reports of Indian nationals being recruited recently into the Russian army. The government has, on several occasions over the past year, cautioned Indian citizens against taking this course of action,” he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also raised the issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin in bilateral meetings.
Russia has long been accused of using unfair practices to lure people from other nations to fight its war against Ukraine. Many Chinese and North Korean nationals have reportedly been captured by Ukrainian forces. Kyiv has also claimed that an Indian fighting for Russia was among those held captive.
Firstpost also reached out to the Russian Embassy in New Delhi for a response. At the time of publishing, the embassy had not replied. This story will be updated once a response is received.
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