Hyderabad man duped into joining Russian Army; family seeks govt’s help

Hyderabad: A 37-year-old man from Khairatabad has allegedly been trapped and forced to join the Russian Army to fight in the war against Ukraine. He travelled to Russia for a construction job through a dubious Mumbai-based agent.

The Indian Embassy in Moscow has now stepped in to secure his early release and repatriation following the intervention of AIMIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi.

Job offer turns into nightmare

Mohammed Ahmed, a resident of Khairatabad, left India on April 25, after being promised a lucrative job in a construction company in Russia by a Mumbai-based consultancy. According to his wife, Afsha Begum, the supposed employment quickly turned into a nightmare.

Upon arrival, Ahmed reportedly found no work for nearly a month. Later, he and about 30 other men were allegedly taken to a remote military camp, given weapons training and forcibly drafted into combat.

Ahmed was injured while trying to flee

“After training, 26 people were taken to the border area to fight the Ukrainian Army. My husband jumped from the Army vehicle to escape and fractured his leg, but he is being threatened to either fight or be killed,” Afsha wrote in a letter to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, seeking immediate rescue and repatriation.

‘We were threatened with guns’

In a video message sent from the warfront, Ahmed described his ordeal, saying he and three other Indians had refused to fight but were threatened at gunpoint.

“The place where I am is the border and war is going on. We refused to go into the warzone, but they pointed weapons at us. I have a plaster on my leg and cannot walk. Don’t leave the agent, he trapped and brought me here,” Ahmed said, his voice breaking with emotion.

Ahmed also claimed that 17 of the 25 people who were taken to the border with him had died, including one Indian.

Family seeks help; Owaisi intervenes

Afsha Begum and other family members met AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi in Hyderabad on Thursday, appealing for his help to bring Ahmed back home.

Owaisi immediately took up the issue with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Indian Embassy in Moscow, urging the government to act on humanitarian grounds.

Embassy’s response

Responding to Owaisi’s representation, Tadu Mamu, Counsellor at the Embassy of India in Moscow, said that the Embassy has shared Ahmed’s details with Russian authorities and requested his early discharge from military service.

“The Embassy has been following up on all cases of Indian nationals in the Russian Army on priority. The family will be informed of any further updates regarding Mohammed Ahmed,” Mamu stated in an official communication.

Ongoing tragedies: In 2023, Hyderabad youth was duped into joining war, killed

Ahmed’s case mirrors a similar tragedy from last year, when Mohammed Asfan, a 30-year-old from Hyderabad, was killed after being duped into joining Russia’s war. His body was repatriated to India in March 2024 after the MEA’s intervention.

Asfan, who worked at a ready-made garment store, had been lured by a Dubai-based agent promising a helper’s job with a monthly salary of Rs 30,000, later rising to Rs 1.5 lakh. He and two others were sent to Moscow via Sharjah in November 2023, but he never returned.

After losing contact with him, Asfan’s family approached Owaisi, who escalated the case to the MEA, leading to the return of his mortal remains.

MEA on alert over fraudulent job agents

Following multiple cases of Indians being duped into joining the Russian Army, the Indian Embassy in Moscow has urged caution among job seekers and advised citizens to verify overseas employment offers through official channels.

Officials have reiterated that recruitment into foreign military forces under false pretences is illegal and dangerous, and that India is pursuing each case with the Russian government to ensure the safety of its citizens.