Fact Check: Modi govt sells Indian Sikhs to Russia to fight Ukraine war? No, here are the facts
A video of Indian nationals trapped in the Russian Army has been circulating on social media, claiming that they were sold by the Indian government.
By - Md Mahfooz Alam
Claim:The video shows Indian Sikhs sold by the PM Modi government to Russia to fight against Ukraine.
Fact:The claim is false. The video shows Indians duped by job agents and sent to Moscow on student or visitor visas in the past six months for civilian jobs, but have been forced to fight the war against Ukraine. The Indian government has warned Indian nationals against joining the Russian army.
Hyderabad: As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its third year since beginning on February 24, 2022, a video of Indians reportedly stuck with the Russian army has been circulating on social media, with claims that Indian Sikhs were sold by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government to Russia to fight the war against Ukraine.
In the video, the trapped men claim to be coerced into the Russian military.
They can be heard saying in Punjabi that they were deceived and promised civilian work but were forced into military service and sent to front-line combat positions. They also described poor treatment, including a lack of adequate food and water and requested help to escape their situation.
A Pakistani X handle shared the video with the caption, “Modi govt sold multiple Indian Sikhs to Russia, who are being forced to fight the Ukraine-Russia War.”
Since the government has blocked social media handles from Pakistan, here is a screenshot of the post.
Fact Check
NewsMeter found that the claim is false, as the men seen in the video were duped by agents under the pretext of civilian jobs in Russia, but have been forced to fight the war against Ukraine. They were not sold by the Indian government.
Media reports on the men trapped with the Russian Army
We ran a keyword search and came across a report by The Indian Express, which features the image of men seen in the viral video, published on September 16.
The report is titled, ‘Forcibly recruited in Russian Army, handed weapons, now on brink of death: Punjab man’s kin seek help.’
The report narrates the story of Buta Singh, 25, the man seen wearing a turban in the viral video.
He is a native of Punjab’s Moga district, who went to Russia on a ‘study visa’ through an agent after paying Rs 3.50 lakh. The report mentioned that his family says he had gone in a bid to find a suitable job but was forcibly recruited into the Russian Army to serve in its ongoing war against Ukraine.
The report also quoted his sister Karamjit as saying, “It was only recently that we got to know that he had been forcibly taken to the battlefield and recruited into the Russian Army. He has no idea how to operate any weapon. He is on the brink of death. We appeal to the Centre and the Punjab Government to bring him back.”
Speaking to the newspaper, his sister Karamjit Kaur said her brother had gone to Russia on October 24 last year through a Delhi-based agent whom he had contacted via YouTube. The report did not state that his family said Buta was sold by the Centre or any kind of involvement by the Modi government.
In its report published on September 11, which also featured the image of the men seen in the viral video, The Hindu reported that they spoke to two Indian nationals who said they are trapped on the battlefield in Ukraine, where they are being forced to serve on the Russian side.
There are at least 13 more Indians with them. All of them went to Moscow on student or visitor visas in the past six months. They were hired by an agent to work as construction workers but ended up in the war zone, the two men said by telephone from Selydove in Ukraine, where they are currently being housed in a building.
Russia captured Selydove, a key town in the Donetsk region, in November 2024.
This report discusses one of the victims, Sumit Sharma, 22, a resident of Jammu, who came to Russia around six months ago and was pursuing a language course at the Moscow State Linguistic University (MSLU).
The Hindu quoted him as saying, “To earn extra money, I was looking for odd jobs when a woman contacted me and assured me of construction work. I was instead asked to sign some papers and was enlisted in the Russian Army. I came to the camp on August 20, and without any training, they brought us to an occupied area in Ukraine and are not letting us leave. We have been cheated, we are stuck here.”
This report also did not state that the victims were sold by the Modi government.
Statement from the Ministry of External Affairs
Reacting to the news, the Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, said, “We strongly urge all Indian nationals to stay away from any offers to join the Russian army, as this is a course fraught with danger.”
The statement also highlighted that the Indian government has taken up the matter with Russian authorities to end this practice of hiring Indian nationals and to ensure that those forcibly recruited are released. It also mentioned that the government is in touch with the families of Indian citizens trapped in Russia.
Was this issue raised by India with Russia?
The Hindu and Hindustan Times reported in July 2024 that Russia agreed to discharge all Indian nationals serving in its army following discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin during PM Modi’s visit to Moscow.
The reports also mentioned that PM Modi raised the issue during a private dinner hosted by President Putin. In response, Russia agreed to discharge all Indians serving in its military and to facilitate their return.
Therefore, we conclude that the claim of the Modi government selling Indian Sikhs to Russia to fight against Ukraine is false.
