Kashmiri Man Trapped and Forced to Serve as Mercenary for Russian Army: Ukraine War Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): A Kashmiri man could never have thought of fighting a war, raging between Russia and Ukraine, and now he is battling for his life, with his worried family urging the Indian government to help bring their son back.
Azad Yousuf Kumar, 31 years, father of a four-months-old baby boy, from Poshwan village of Tral in Pulwama district, is stuck on Russian border along with a dozen other countrymen, who ended up fighting a war they have no connection with.
As per his family members, Azad was allegedly lured by YouTuber Faisal Khan from Mumbai, who runs Baba Vlogs channel for a job in Dubai. As per the Baba Vlogs profile, it is a YouTube channel that runs video consultancy for taking Indian youth to foreign countries for job.
In December last year, Azad told his family about the "job opportunity" in Dubai and flew there, not knowing that he will land in Russia as mercenary for its army to fight Ukraine. The war between Russia and Ukraine is raging with thousands killed. Both the countries have hired mercenaries through different channels to help their armies in defeating each other. Azad became a victim of one such job fraud.
"He left home in December last year. On December 14 he contacted us and said they are in Dubai. Azad didn't tell us that he has applied for a job in Russia and he was flying there. We would not have allowed him to travel to a war-torn country," Azad's brother, Sajad Ahmad Kumar, told ETV Bharat at his home in Poshwan.
Sajad said that they were in touch with Azad through social media. "Few days ago he told us he was injured as he was shot in the foot by Ukraine army. Azad and other Indians are on Russia and Ukraine border, struggling for their lives," Sajad said, adding the consultancy agent has asked them to sign contract papers which were in Russian.
Azad was working in Dubai previously and had returned home two years ago. He was working as a labourer in his village. His mother Raja is weeping endlessly and her neighbours have been gathering at their home to console the worried family. His parents urged the Government of India and External Affairs Minister to help their son.
"I have no idea where Russia is. What has my son to do with the country whose name I have never heard. I appeal PM Modi to help in bringing back my son," Raja told ETV Bharat. Local police officials have reached the family of Azad to collect the facts of the case. They have asked the family to meet the police officers in Pulwama district.
"We had no information that Azad Kumar had flown to Russia for work. We came to know through media and have now told the family to meet the officers who will put up their case with the government," a police official told ETV Bharat. Senior officials from the JK administration didn't respond to the calls about the issue of the two Kashmiri men stuck in Russia.
Besides, Azad, another young man, Zahoor Ahmad, from Hanjinar village of Karnah in Kupwara district, has also been lured by the same Baba Vlogs. Many Indian youth from other states including Gujarat and Karnataka have been quoted in the media saying that they were hired as security helpers for Russian army but were forced to fight against Ukraine army on the Russia-Ukraine border.
The workers have said the Russian government has snatched their passports and visa and they are not able to return home. All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MP Asaduddin Owaisi, has also written to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on January 25 seeking return of these Indians.
In response, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaishwal on February 23 said in a statement, "We are aware that a few Indian nationals have signed up for support jobs with the Russian army. The Indian Embassy has regularly taken up this matter with the relevant Russian authorities for their early discharge. We urge all Indian nationals to exercise due caution and stay away from this conflict."
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