Indian national killed while fighting for Russia; 7 men from Punjab, Haryana in battle zone appeal for help

A video has gone viral on X in which a group of seven men from Punjab and Haryana claim they had gone to Russia to celebrate the New Year, but were sent into combat instead

A video grab of the 7 men from Punjab and Haryana stuck in Russia.

Tribune News Service

Sandeep Dikshit

New Delhi, March 6

An Indian has been killed fighting for Russia in its conflict with Ukraine even as more Indians, including five from Punjab and two from Haryana, have appealed to the government to extricate them from the battlefield.

A video has gone viral on X in which a group of seven men from Punjab and Haryana claimed they had gone to Russia to celebrate the New Year, but they were sent into combat instead.

The seven Indians claimed to be Gagandeep Singh (24), Lovepreet Singh (24), Narain Singh (22), Gurpreet Singh (21), Gurpreet Singh (23), Harsh Kumar (20) and Abhishek Kumar (21). While five of them say they are from Punjab, the remaining two claim to be from Haryana.

As per their version, they arrived in Russia on December 27 to celebrate the New Year and were taken around by a person who then offered to take them to Belarus. “We were not aware we needed a visa. When we reached Belarus, the agent demanded more money and then abandoned us. The police caught us and handed us over to Russian authorities, who made us sign some documents,’’ said Gurpreet who says he’s from Gurdaspur.

The first Indian mercenary death – of a 30-year-old man from Hyderabad – was also confirmed by the Indian Embassy in Moscow, which said it was trying to get his remains transferred to his hometown.

"We have learnt about the tragic death of an Indian national Mohammed Asfan. We are in touch with the family and Russian authorities,’’ posted the Indian Embassy in Russia on X. "Mission will make efforts to send his mortal remains to India," it added.

It was the AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi who had raised the issue of 18 youths from Telangana being duped by travel agents into fighting for Russia. According to a media report, when Owaisi contacted the Indian Embassy in Moscow, officials confirmed that the young man had been killed.

Unconfirmed reports have also spoken of another 23-year-old Indian getting killed in a drone attack on a Russian army formation in Donetsk. According to media reports, the killed youngster, Hemil Ashvinbhai Mangukiya, was from Surat in Gujarat and died on February 21. There is no official confirmation about the death.

The MEA has acknowledged that some youths were recruited by agents who duped them into joining combat in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and said it has taken up the matter with the relevant Russian authorities for their early discharge. “We urge all Indian nationals to exercise due caution and stay away from the conflict," the MEA has said in an official statement.

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