Back from Russian warfront, youths picking up threads of life

From wielding assault rifles while fighting Russia’s battle in Krasnohorivka city of Donetsk Oblast in Ukraine, a number of Amritsar youths are now armed with wrenches, plungers and other tools as they resume the jobs of plumber, wallpaper installer and dairy worker that they had been pursuing before leaving India. From travelling in tanks and army trucks, they are now using bikes and bicycles on their way to work.

Life is back to ‘normal’ for these youths, but thoughts about the choices they had made and the turn their life took as they landed on Russian territory still haunt them. They want to erase the psychological imprints of the war which was fraught with bullets and bombs.

“Having witnessed gory scenes and destruction caused by the war, low wages and long working hours don’t bother me anymore. Last month, I was in Rajasthan and now in Baddi, Himachal Pradesh, due to my job. Weather in our country is tolerable in comparison to the extreme and harsh winter we had to endure in Russia,” said Rohit, a 26-year-old youth from Ajnala. “It is better to earn less and stay with one’s family,” he said as he summed up his experience of going abroad.

A promise of Rs 1 lakh a month as salary, a Rs 7 lakh signing bonus and potential Russian citizenship — many like Rohit couldn’t resist this alluring opportunity they first saw on Instagram in January last year. They had never imagined that they would be made to serve on frontline when they fell for helper’s job in Army.

Hired as an Army helper, Rohit feared for his life as he delivered eatables and goods to Russian Army soldiers at the warfront. Up in the sky, Ukrainian drones captured even a slight movement on the ground and dropped explosives. He saw a Russian soldier getting killed in such an action.

After spending seven to 10 months in Russia, these youths have returned home with the intervention of the Indian government.

Amritsar’s Jaimal Singh, Rohit, Sarbjit Singh, Avtar Singh, and Sukhman Singh safely returned home after the Consulate General of India in St Petersburg arranged their return flight. Their return was facilitated by a request from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on July 8.

The story of each of these youths is about grit and despair at the same time.

Jaimal Singh, 25, is satisfied with his plumbing job in India. Like all returnees from Russia, he too feared drones and harsh winter. Unlike before, he now travels to neighbouring villages for work, boosting his monthly income to nearly Rs 20,000 from Rs 15,000 he used to make before going to Russia. Despite owning a house and six acres, Jaimal’s decision to go to Russia baffled his neighbours.

After a seven-month deployment, 26-year-old Rohit returned to Amritsar. Now working with a Ludhiana-based company, he installs boilers across North India. Less income and long working hours no longer bother him as he has witnessed the horrors of war.

Sarbjit Singh, 50, of Jagdev Khurd, hoped to join his family in the UK from his war earnings. Sukhman of Chogawan, a daily wager, is back to his job of sticking wallpapers. He found the winter harsh and disliked the repetitive non-vegetarian meals given to him during his stint in Russia.

Others from Jaimal’s neighborhood, including Shamsher Singh, 22, and Avinash, 21, had also gone to Russia in the hope of better prospects. Back home, Shamsher and Avinash have resumed their daily-wage jobs.

“I tell everyone it is better to be with your family and stay in your home country even if you earn less,” said their 62-year-old neighbour Baljit Singh, a farmer by profession.

The recent death of a 32-year-old Keralite Binil and injury to his 27-year-old relative Jain Kurian while serving the Russian Army prompted the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to reiterate its demand for the early release of all its citizens who continue to work for the Russian armed forces in its conflict with Ukraine. This once again brought spotlight on Indian youths in general and Punjabis in particular who have been fighting the war for Russia. Tejpal Singh of Amritsar was killed in March and Rahul, also from Amritsar, who had sustained injuries in hand due to a landmine explosion, is recuperating in Russia.