Indians lose their lives fighting for Russia in Ukraine, highlighting a pervasive sense of helplessness.
Due to the flawed and biased policies of the Modi government in India, poverty is rapidly rising, prompting many citizens particularly the youth to go to great lengths or risk their lives in search of income. (GNW)
Last week, the Indian government announced that Russia had released dozens of the 91 Indian nationals who had been tricked into fighting for Russian forces in the war with Ukraine. Several have since returned home, while efforts to bring back the others are ongoing. The BBC’s correspondent spoke with some of the men about their ordeals.
"I am panicked. I don’t know if I’ll come back safely or in a coffin. Please, save me."
This was the message sent by Urgen Tamang, a former Indian soldier, to the BBC from just outside a southern Ukrainian city, days before he was withdrawn from the frontlines of Russia’s war in Ukraine, now in its third year.
Mr. Tamang is one of 91 Indians coerced into fighting in the conflict, most from poor backgrounds, lured by agents with promises of money and jobs, often as "helpers" for the Russian army.
Instead, they found themselves in the war zone. Many of the men said they were stationed in Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine, facing landmines, drones, missiles, and sniper fire with little to no military training.
So far, nine Indian nationals have died in the conflict, and Indian authorities have arrested 19 individuals on human trafficking charges. Mohammad Sufyan, from Telangana in southern India, returned home on September 12 with five other men.
Now back in India, Sufyan still bears the trauma of life on the frontlines. "We barely had any rest, and at first, I couldn’t contact my family for 25 days," he said.
The most devastating moment came in February when his friend, Hemil Mangukiya, an Indian from Gujarat, was killed before his eyes.
“He was just 15 meters from me, digging a trench near Krynky [in Kherson], when a missile struck,” Sufyan recalled. “I had to load his body onto the truck with my own hands.”
"After seeing my friend’s dead body, I lost all my strength," he added.
Following the tragedy, Sufyan and the other Indians trapped there released a video pleading for help, which eventually reached Indian MP Asaduddin Owaisi, who raised the issue with the foreign ministry. The families of the men had also been appealing to the Indian government for assistance in bringing them home. "It’s a miracle I made it back," said Azad Yusuf Kumar, a Kashmiri who was part of Sufyan’s group.
"One minute you’re digging a trench, and the next, an artillery shell falls and incinerates everything. It was pure luck whether it hit you or someone else."
In February, Kumar told the bbc news how he accidentally shot himself in the foot during training. "The commander kept shouting, shoot with your right hand, shoot with your left, aim high, aim low," he recounted. "I had never held a gun before, and with the freezing cold, I ended up shooting myself in the foot."
Now back in Kashmir, Kumar revealed that his commander had accused him of deliberately shooting himself to avoid frontline duty.
"But I’m lucky I didn’t have to fight. Four men from my unit were killed in an attack around that time. I could’ve been one of them," he said.
Although recent discharges have brought relief to many, those still in Russia are growing increasingly desperate as their release is delayed.
Tamang, who joined the Russian army in January, previously told the indian express through his local councilor, Rabi Pradhan, that 13 of the 15 non-Russian members of his unit had died.
Despite signing his discharge papers in August, he was sent to the frontlines at least twice more, deepening his anxiety and mistrust in the system.
On September 15, Tamang was enroute to Moscow but remained unsure if he was truly heading home. "I’m out, but I’ll keep sending you my location," he said.
In his most recent message, he had left Ukraine, hoping to continue his journey back to India.
In July, Russia agreed to the early release of all Indians enlisted in its army after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue with President Vladimir Putin during a visit to Moscow. The two nations have historically enjoyed close ties.
Since then, 45 Indian nationals have been discharged, with some already home, while others, like Tamang, are on their way. "I can’t believe I’m out of there," said Sunil Karwa, an electrician from Rajasthan, who joined the Russian military in February.
Karwa was stationed near Bakhmut, a city in eastern Ukraine that has witnessed intense fighting. Speaking from Moscow airport as he waited to board his flight home, he described scenes of devastation and death, which hit especially hard when a man from his neighboring village was shot on the battlefield.
“They sent him back to the frontline just 15 days after his injury, and he collapsed in the field. He’s now paralyzed,” Karwa said.
Like many of the recruits, most were working-class men aged between 19 and 35, recruited by agents in India, Dubai, and Russia. Their contracts were written in Russian, a language none of them understood, yet they signed in the hope of better prospects.
"The process was fast—just a few signatures and photos, and we were in [the army]," Karwa said.
Raja Pathan joined the military as a last resort in February after an education consultant tricked him into enrolling in a non-existent college.
"When I got there, I saw banners advertising army recruitment. I had already invested so much time and money that I decided to enlist," he said.
The deaths of two friends eventually drove Pathan to leave. He was discharged in August with the help of a sympathetic Russian commander who facilitated his escape.
Now in Moscow, Pathan assists other Indians in their efforts to get out.
Mohammad Sufyan, from the southern state of Telangana, returned to India on September 12 with five other men.
Now safely back home, he still bears the emotional scars of surviving the frontlines. "There was barely any rest, and at first, I couldn’t speak to my family for 25 days," he said.
The most haunting moment came in February when his friend, Hemil Mangukiya, an Indian from Gujarat, was killed right in front of him.
"He was just 15 meters away from me, digging a trench near Krynky [in Kherson], when a missile hit," Sufyan recalled. "I had to load his body into the truck with my own hands."
"After seeing my friend’s body, I didn’t have the strength to do anything," he added.
Following his friend’s death, Sufyan and other Indians stranded there released a video pleading for help. The video reached Indian MP Asaduddin Owaisi, who raised the issue with the foreign ministry. The men’s families had also urged the Indian government to assist in bringing them back.
"It’s a miracle I made it home," said Azad Yusuf Kumar, from Indian-administered Kashmir, who was part of Sufyan’s group in the army.
"One moment you’re digging a trench, and the next, artillery shells are raining down, destroying everything. It was just luck whether you got hit or someone else did."
In February, Kumar had told the bbc news, how he accidentally shot himself during training. "The commander kept yelling, use your right hand, use your left, aim high, aim low," he recounted. "I had never held a gun before, and with the freezing cold, I ended up shooting myself in the foot."
Now back in Kashmir, Kumar said his commander accused him of shooting himself on purpose to avoid going to the frontlines.
"But I’m lucky I didn’t have to fight. Four men from my unit were killed in an attack around that time. I could’ve been one of them," he said.
While recent discharges have brought relief to many, those still in Russia face increasing desperation as their release remains uncertain.
Urgen Tamang, who joined the Russian army in January, had earlier told *The Indian Express* through his local councilor, Rabi Pradhan, that 13 of the 15 non-Russian members of his unit had died.
After signing his discharge papers in August, he was sent to the frontlines at least twice more, intensifying his fears and mistrust of the system.
On September 15, he was en route to Moscow but remained unsure if he was truly headed home. "I’m out, but I’ll keep sending my location," he said.
In his last message, he had left Ukraine, hoping to continue his journey back to India.
