In the 50 days since he last heard from his brother, Indian Army jawan Prabhudayal Sunda has petitioned various government offices seeking his brother’s rescue from Russia, but is yet to receive any response.
Sandeep, 23, Mr. Sunda’s younger brother, had been enlisted in the Russian Army and forced to fight in the war zone on the Russia-Ukraine border, his family has said, echoing claims made by many other families across the country.
At least two Indians have been killed in the war since September, and the body of one of them — Karamchand of Kaithal in Haryana — arrived from Russia on October 18. The body of the other deceased, also reportedly from Haryana, is in Russia as the family is yet to confirm his identity, since the body is charred.
“I last spoke to my brother on September 6. It has been 50 days since we heard from him. In his previous call, he said their Commander [in the Russian Army] had told them that this was their last opportunity to speak to families, as they will be entering a no-network zone. He was hired by a contractor to help the Russian soldiers with food and other logistics. He was never meant to join the war,” said Mr. Sunda.
He further said that after completing his B.A. degree at a college in Sikar, Rajasthan, his brother had enrolled in a Russian language course in Moscow in February.
“On August 20, he was approached by an agent who promised him ₹1.5 lakh for assisting Russian soldiers with food and sundry activities. He was told that after a 15-day training period, he will have the option to return. However, his passport was confiscated and he and others were taken to the border. He told me on phone that he was not being allowed to return. He got married only a year ago,” said Mr. Sunda.
He added that the Indian Embassy in Moscow and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) have informed them that they were awaiting the response from Russia.
Jagdish Choudhary from Nagaur in Rajasthan said two relatives – his brother Mahaveer Prasad, 31 and brother-in-law Surender Dahiya – remain incommunicado since September 7.
The two men travelled to Moscow in April after being contacted by agents to work in the construction sector but were instead enlisted in the Russian Army.
“They are forced to infiltrate Ukrainian territory by the Russian Army, where they are at risk of being attacked by drones. We have information that at least two Indians have been killed so far while there has been no communication with the other 25, including my relatives,” said Mr. Choudhary.
He said they have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his help in locating their whereabouts. “In the letter, we have shared the identity card provided by the Russian Army,” he said.
On September 11, a day after The Hindu reported that at least 15 Indians were likely to be in Ukraine after being caught in the battlefield, the MEA said that it had taken up the matter with Russian authorities both in Delhi and Moscow, seeking that “this practice [of recruiting Indians] be ended and that our nationals be released.”
In August 2024, after India strongly raised the issue, the Russian Embassy said in a statement that it no longer admits Indians into its Army, adding it was working in “close coordination” with Indian authorities to help discharge Indian nationals recruited for the war in Ukraine. The two countries have been at war since February 24, 2022.
The assurance came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue “personally” with President Vladimir Putin during his visit to Moscow in July the same year.
The MEA has issued several warnings and advisories cautioning Indians against falling prey to such jobs.
The MEA also informed the Rajya Sabha on July 24, 2025 that there were 127 Indian nationals in the Russian armed forces, and of them, the services of 98 individuals were discontinued as a result of sustained engagement between the Indian and Russian officials at the highest levels. Thirteen Indian nationals remain in the Russian forces, with 12 individuals having been reported missing by the Russian side, the MEA said.
Published – October 25, 2025 08:47 pm IST
