Indian trafficking ring exposed in Russia-Ukraine war

The CBI has exposed a human trafficking racket luring Indians with job promises, only to exploit them and allegedly force them into the Russia-Ukraine war zone against their consent, uncovering a widespread organized crime syndicate spanning multiple states.

On March 6, the probe agency registered a case of human trafficking. The CBI is working in collaboration with law enforcement agencies to bring the accused to justice.

Commenting on the network, the probe agency said: ‘These traffickers have been operating as an organized network and were luring Indian nationals through social media channels like YouTube, and their local contacts/agents for highly paid jobs in Russia.’

‘Thereafter, the trafficked Indians were trained in combat roles and deployed at front bases in the Russia-Ukraine War Zone against their wishes, thus, putting their lives in grave danger. It has been ascertained that some of the victims also got grievously injured in the war zone,’ a spokesperson for the CBI said.

According to the CBI, around 35 individuals have fallen victim to this nefarious network, resulting in two tragic deaths amid the conflict. Once the unsuspecting individuals arrived in Russia, the traffickers would subject them to combat training and subsequently deploy them to the war zones, disregarding their consent and safety.

Tragic consequences and heartbreaking stories

Tragically, the crackdown comes in the wake of the deaths of two Indians who were deceived into traveling to Russia, only to perish in the ongoing conflict.

One victim, speaking anonymously, revealed how he and others were deceived by false promises of substantial monthly salaries, only to discover upon arrival that they were unwittingly being drafted into military roles.

The investigation is still underway, but the development comes a day after a 30-year-old man from Hyderabad, Mohammed Afsan, who had been allegedly duped into joining the Russian army, was killed by opposition soldiers.