War in Ukraine: Russian army recruited Indians to fight at the front

The Indian government has just admitted that several nationals had been recruited by the Russian army to fight in Ukraine.

This comes as family members worry that they will no longer hear from them.

New Delhi is in discussions with Moscow to repatriate them.

A Russian army soldier in combat against the Ukrainian army.

(illustration) AP

By: RFI Follow

Advertisement

Read more

With our correspondent in New Delhi

,

Sébastien Farcis

The young Mohammed Sufiyan was recruited at the end of 2023 as a simple security agent for the Russian army.

He left for Moscow, with the hope of a high salary.

But soon he was given a weapon to

fight on the front against the Ukrainian army

.

Today, his family is worried, because they no longer have news of him, as his brother Imran tells the Indian agency ANI:

“ 

Another Indian from Kashmir, who was there, told us that my brother had been shot in the leg and could no longer walk.

But we haven't known more for almost two months.

The agents who recruited him didn't tell him he would fight!

 »

According to an investigation by

The Hindu

newspaper , around a hundred Indians were hired as security agents for the Russian army, with a one-year contract.

Several were then pushed towards the front, and some were injured there.

Faced with pressure from families, the Indian Minister of Foreign Affairs announced on Monday February 26 that he had spoken with his Russian counterparts, and that several recruits would have been demobilized.

Also read: “Faced with Russia, India oscillates between opportunism and caution”

Newsletter

Receive all the international news directly in your inbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

Share :

Continue reading on the same themes:

  • India

  • Russia

  • Ukraine

  • Defense