The Third Army Corps has released an inquiry into the method by which foreign nationals are coerced into joining the Russian military, and subsequently deployed to fight in Ukraine through trumped-up charges.
A Russian army mercenary from India ended up in the trenches instead of university benches / © screenshot from video
The promises made by the Kremlin to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have proven to be false. While diplomats exchange greetings, Russian security agencies continue to target foreigners to be used as expendable soldiers on the Ukrainian front.
Startling specifics of the strategy were uncovered by combatants of the Third Army Corps , to whom an Indian national surrendered.
“Courier”, narcotics and Article 228
The central figure of the probe is 23-year-old Majoti Sahil (codenamed “Lucifer”) hailing from Gujarat. He journeyed to Russia with ambitions of learning and employment, but instead encountered a deception.
The scheme through which he was enlisted is reminiscent of a poorly written crime story:
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Sahil was presented with a temporary position as a delivery person.
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On the third workday, they provided the location of a package where illegal substances were discovered.
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He was instantly apprehended on site by individuals in civilian attire (likely plainclothes officers) who failed to produce any form of identification.
Then ensued the customary coercion: face a lengthy sentence in a Russian penitentiary under Article 228 (the “well-known” drug-related provision in the Russian Federation), or sign a military service contract. Sahil opted for what he believed was the lesser of two evils, with the expectation that the agreement would last for one year.
“Upon my arrival at the training facility, they informed me: the contract will conclude only when the war is over,” the captive recounts.
Ground reality on the front: bigotry and bovine meat
Rather than the assured “back lines,” after just 16 days of superficial training (“one or two shots, throw a grenade – you're all set”), the Indian was deployed to the 164th Motorized Rifle Brigade stationed near Kreminna.
The conditions endured by foreign soldiers are deplorable:
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Forced violation: Hindus, for whom cows hold a sacred status, are compelled to consume tinned beef due to the lack of alternative dietary options.
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Prejudice: Sahil was constantly subjected to degradation. “Why are you present in my country?” was the least offensive remark he received from his Russian “fellow soldiers.”
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Neglect: When the individual began to experience issues with his lower extremities and became unable to ambulate, the group leader merely confiscated his communication device and abandoned him to perish in the woodlands. Consequently, he managed to approach Ukrainian soldiers from the 63rd Brigade and give himself up.
Statistical falsehoods
According to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, Russia has embroiled 202 Indian citizens in the conflict since 2022:
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119 were successfully repatriated through diplomatic channels;
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26 have perished;
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7 are unaccounted for;
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50 remain within the ranks of the occupying force.
Notwithstanding assurances that all Indian nationals would be released during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official visit to Russia in 2024, recruitment has only grown. The number of operatives attracting foreign individuals is on the rise, and their methodologies are becoming increasingly harsh, according to military sources.
It is worth recalling that Russian prisoners documented an address to Putin. The key inquiry the captured occupiers posed to the Kremlin chief is the reason they are not being included in prisoner exchanges.