Travelers on vacation in Russia were made to participate in fighting in Ukraine.

Several families of Nepali and Indian tourists who went to visit Russia have shared their heartbreaking stories of how their sons were deceived into joining the Russian army and sent to fight on the frontlines in Ukraine. One such young man, Hemil Mangukiya, left his home in Gujarat, India with the hopes of finding better opportunities in Russia. However, his journey took a tragic turn as he lost his life on a battlefield in Ukraine, far away from his loved ones.

Hemil's family was devastated by the news and they later learned that he had been lured to Russia by a recruitment video on YouTube promising a "security job". But instead, he was sent to a military training camp and eventually deployed to the frontlines without his family's knowledge. His father, Ashwin Mangukiya, shared with The Guardian that he believes Hemil kept the danger he was in a secret from them. The family is still trying to bring Hemil's body back home.

Sadly, Hemil's case may not be an isolated one. A group of Indian nationals also released a video, revealing that they were promised a three-month visa to visit Russia for sightseeing but were then tricked into going to Belarus and subsequently arrested. These men, who are reportedly deployed in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, claimed that they were forced to sign documents without knowing what they were signing.

The group of seven men, identified as Gagandeep Singh, Lovepreet Singh, Narain Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Harsh Kumar, and Abhishek Kumar, shared their plea for help in a video smuggled out of their barracks. They were seen wearing military winter camouflage jackets and reiterated that they were unaware of what they were signing. Harsh Kumar, one of the men, explained their situation and begged for assistance while his brother in India confirmed that he had already received weapons training and was deployed in eastern Ukraine.

Similarly, Gurpreet Singh's brother, Amrit Singh, shared that the group was "forced" into the Russian army without understanding the consequences. The men were threatened with 10 years in prison if they did not sign the documents. It is estimated that up to 100 Indian nationals have been recruited as support staff by the Russian Army, with many being coerced into fighting in Ukraine.

The Indian government has confirmed that several citizens have sought help to be discharged from the Russian army. However, four Nepali men have also come forward with a video plea, stating that they too were deceived into fighting for Russia. The men, identified as Sanjay, Ram, Kumar, and Santosh, were seen in combat fatigues, and one of them shared how they were told to go to the frontlines and fight in the war. They appealed to the Indian government for assistance since the Nepali embassy was unable to help them.

This is a distressing situation as Russia had already drafted 130,000 men in 2023 to join the war in Ukraine, and it seems like they are resorting to any means to keep the conflict going. In fact, Britain's top general had warned the public earlier this year that they may be conscripted to fight in a war against Russia due to the country's small military size. This is a concerning situation, and we must keep a close eye on developments as the innocent lives of young men are at stake.

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