'Treated like slaves, worked 15 hours at gunpoint,' Indian youth duped into fighting for Russia recalls horror
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has said that a total of forty-five Indians who were duped into joining private militias and fighting in Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine have been discharged from the Russian military. Earlier this week, the MEA also said that efforts are ongoing to secure the release of around 50 more Indian youths, while nine have died while serving with the Russian Army.
Discharged Indian youth returns home
Among those who have been discharged from the Russian military is Mohammed Sufiyan from Narayanpet in Telangana. Upon his release earlier this month, the 22-year-old, who had been in Russia for nine months, successfully returned to his family on Friday.
'Working like slaves'
Sufiyan, who was posted some 60 km away from the Ukraine border, said he and others like him were made to work long hours, under inhumane conditions, and under the threat of death from the military officials.
"Our hands were blistered, our backs ached and our spirits were broken. Yet, if we showed any signs of exhaustion, bullets were fired at us," Sufiyan said.
Punishment for refusing to work on frontline
According to him, after an Indian youth, a resident of Gujarat, was killed in a Ukrainian drone strike in February, some of the others had refused to work on the frontlines. This was met with punishments, including being forced to dig a trench and spend the night in it in freezing temperatures, without food.
How he ended up in Russia
Like others who were trafficked into the warfront, Sufiyan was also duped by agents who promised office security and Army helper jobs in Moscow, and were charged Rs 3 lakh by the recruiter.
But once they reached Russia, the youths had their documents seized and were forced into military training and, before they knew it, were pushed into the frontlines of the war.
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