India busts trafficking racket duping people to fight for Russia in Ukraine
India said it had busted a “major human trafficking network” which lured young men to Russia with the promise of jobs only to force them to fight in the war in Ukraine.
NEW DELHI — India said it had busted a “major human trafficking network” which lured young men to Russia with the promise of jobs only to force them to fight in the war in Ukraine.
About 35 people have been sent to Russia in the scheme so far, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said late on Thursday, almost double the figure of 20 people that the Indian foreign ministry had earlier mentioned.
At least two men who went to Russia expecting to work as “helpers” in the army have died while fighting at the front, their families have said. The Indian Embassy in Russia confirmed one of those deaths.
The traffickers, operating across several Indian states, targeted people using social media platforms and through local agents, the CBI said in a statement.
“The trafficked Indian nationals were trained in combat roles and deployed at front bases in Russia-Ukraine War Zone against their wishes,” the statement said, adding that some of the victims were also “grievously injured” in the war zone.
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