In India, a network of recruiting citizens for the war in Ukraine was revealed

India said it had uncovered a “large human trafficking ring” whose members lured young people to Russia with promises of work, but then forced them to participate in the war in Ukraine. This was reported by Reuters on Friday with reference to India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

According to the department, to date, approximately 35 people have been sent to Russia under this scheme. This is more than the 20 people previously reported by the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Reuters notes. In February, the Indian authorities reported that they are trying to return home about 20 fellow citizens who ended up in the Russian army. The Moscow Times wrote that they could enter Russia not as tourists, but as “support personnel or assistants.”

According to new data from the Indian Central Bureau of Investigation, at least two Indians went to Russia in the hope of getting a job as “helpers” in the Russian army. The publication does not specify what kind of work we are talking about. Both were later killed in combat at the front, their families said. The Indian Embassy in Moscow confirmed one of these deaths, reports Reuters.

Further, the material states that human traffickers operating in several states tracked potential victims with the help of social networks and local agents. Some of them were offered admission to Russian private universities and extended visas at a discount.

“Indian citizens who became victims of human trafficking were trained in combat operations and sent to forward bases in the zone of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict against their will,” the Central Intelligence Agency’s statement quoted Reuters as saying. At the same time, it is noted that several Indians were seriously wounded in the battle zone.

The CBR says that searches were conducted in a number of places, including Delhi and Mumbai, and a certain amount of cash was seized, as well as documents and electronic media. Several suspects are detained for further questioning.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India said that every alleged case of involvement of Indians in the war was discussed with Moscow. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia did not respond to a request for comments on this matter, Reuters adds.

Earlier this week, it was reported that seven Indian citizens recorded a video message in which they said that they were being forced to participate in the war with Ukraine on the side of Russia. The video was published on Twitter by the journalist of the Indian channel NDTV Umy Sudhir.

• India refrains from officially condemning Russia for its military invasion of Ukraine, calling on both sides to end the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. Delia and Moscow have maintained close relations for ten years. After the start of the full-scale invasion, there are reports that India has significantly increased its imports of Russian oil delivered by sea.