Amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, at least 20 Indian citizens find themselves ensnared on the front lines after being deceived into traveling to Russia and coerced into military service. Relatives of the victims revealed to The Telegraph the harrowing ordeal faced by their loved ones who were initially promised jobs in Dubai but ended up embroiled in the war.
In Poshwan village, Kashmir, Raja Begum, 65, anxiously awaits the return of her son, Azad Yousuf Kumar, 31, who ventured to the UAE in December with the hope of securing a housekeeping job, facilitated by Faisal Khan, an independent consultant known for advertising opportunities on his YouTube channel, Baba Vlogs.
The Kumar family narrates a tale of betrayal, with Azad Yousuf Kumar and others falling victim to false promises and manipulation. Despite paying approximately £3,000 for the job opportunity in the Middle East, Kumar found himself abruptly diverted to Russia under mysterious circumstances.
For over 40 days, Kumar’s family endured agonizing silence until mid-February when they received a distressing call, revealing his coerced enlistment in the Russian army to fight in Ukraine. According to Raja Begum, her son, misled by false assurances, was swiftly transitioned from Sharjah to a secret military base in Russia, where he underwent training in weaponry despite his lack of comprehension of the Russian language.
Sajad Ahmad Kumar, Begum’s elder son, disclosed that several others fell prey to similar schemes orchestrated by Baba Vlogs, emphasizing that none willingly embarked on a path to the Ukrainian conflict zone. Trapped in a dire situation, these Indian citizens face the peril of frontline confrontations near the Black Sea, forced into a battleground far from their intended destinations in Dubai.
The plight of these individuals underscores the urgency for international intervention and protective measures to safeguard vulnerable populations ensnared in the complexities of global conflicts. As families plead for their safe return, the saga serves as a sobering reminder of the ruthless exploitation and human cost of deceptive recruitment practices amidst geopolitical turmoil.
