Mohammed Sufiyan, a young man from Narayanpet, Telangana, has returned to India after a terrifying ordeal at the Russia-Ukraine war front. He was lured to Russia by a recruitment agent who promised him a job as a security guard, but instead, he found himself thrust into the brutal reality of combat.
Sufiyan, along with other young Indians, was taken to an army camp upon arrival in Russia. They were forced to sign documents in Russian, unaware of their contents, and then subjected to rigorous military training, learning to fire AK-47s and AK-74s, as well as sniper rifles. He described the training as harsh, with threats of violence used to instill obedience. Any sign of protest was met with bullets fired near their legs, leaving them terrified and compliant.
After training, Sufiyan and his fellow recruits were sent to the Russian-Ukrainian border and deployed into Ukrainian territory occupied by Russian forces. The conditions were deplorable, with 15-hour workdays, no rest, and brutal punishments for exhaustion. Hands blistered, backs aching, and spirits broken, the young men were forced to endure unimaginable hardship.
Sufiyan’s harrowing account sheds light on the devastating realities of war and the exploitation of vulnerable individuals lured into conflict zones with false promises. His story highlights the urgent need for stricter regulations to prevent such incidents and ensure the safety of Indian citizens abroad.
Sufiyan’s release from the Russian Army, along with five other Indians, was facilitated by the Indian Embassy ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with President Vladimir Putin at the BRICS summit in Kazan. The Ministry of External Affairs has confirmed that 45 Indian citizens have been discharged from the Russian army, with more expected to return in the coming days.
Sufiyan’s story serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of war and the importance of protecting vulnerable individuals from exploitation and forced recruitment into foreign conflicts.
