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two indian men who traveled Russia Murdered after being on student visa forcibly recruited to fight in ukraine warTheir families alleged.
The bodies of Ajay Godara, 22, from Bikaner in Rajasthan state and Rakesh Kumar Maurya, 30, from Uttarakhand have been returned and handed over to their relatives.
They had traveled to Russia separately on student visas, but later claimed in videos sent to their families that they had been drafted into the army and deployed to the front lines in Ukraine.
They alleged that they agreed to non-combat civilian roles as cleaners and paramedics, only to later discover that they had been conscripted into the Russian army and deployed to the front lines in Ukraine. Both were probably looking for part-time jobs on their student visas.
Their deaths have raised new concerns India on the recruitment of its citizens In the Russian Army.
Independent previously reported on the plight of Some Indians recruited in Russian Army Who faced life-threatening situations during frontline deployments in Ukraine.
as many as 202 Indians have been recruited in Russia armed forces since the Ukraine war began in early 2022, and have killed 26 people so far, the Foreign Ministry informed parliament on Thursday. At least seven are reported missing.
The ministry said it is working to get “early discharge” of 50 Indian nationals currently serving in the Russian army.
Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said, “The ministry has provided assistance in repatriation of bodies of 10 deceased Indian citizens and local cremation of two deceased citizens.”
He said DNA samples of family members of 18 dead or missing Indians were shared with Russian authorities in an effort to help establish their identities.
“India continues to engage with the Russian side to ensure the safety, well-being and prompt discharge of all Indian nationals serving in the Russian Armed Forces,” he said.
Godara traveled to Russia in November 2024 to study a language course and was reportedly admitted after about 10 months. Godara’s family last spoke to him on September 22.
He was the only son of Mahavir Prasad and Kalavati Godara, who sought help from the local authorities after learning about his recruitment.
“I had sent him to study, why did you throw him into this war? Ajju is my only son. Bring him home at any cost,” said his mother. patrick After the newspaper received the news of his death.
In one of his videos, Godara appeared composed and said he was part of a group of four soldiers fighting in a village in Selidov, a Ukrainian town in the Donetsk region that was captured by Russia.
“I have come to a network area after eight days. We were attacked with missiles and drones. One recruit in front of me died, the other two ran away and I was lost,” said Godara, dressed in military uniform. “My team members have now found me. I don’t know what is going to happen to me. I have given my statement that I was forcibly recruited.”
In another video he said that he was in fear for his life. He said that what he was promised was completely different, adding that the recording “could be his last”.
On Thursday, his relatives, friends and neighbors performed his last rites and raised slogans “Long live Ajay”. His uniform and a Russian flag were displayed along with his coffin.
The family of Maurya, who took admission in St. Petersburg University on August 8, 2025, refused to talk to the media.
A friend Pankaj Kumar told The Hindu The newspaper revealed that the family received the news of his death five days ago.
“The family was told that he died in the Donbass area,” Mr Kumar said. “He last spoke to him on August 30.”
Russia’s war in Ukraine now in its fourth year thousands of foreigners, These included people from Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, China and Cuba, who were recruited to fight on behalf of Moscow. Many of them have claimed that they were forced or tricked into joining the fighting.
According to the Ukrainian Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, Kiev’s forces have captured about 200 foreigners from 37 countries fighting for Russia.
Independent The Russian Embassy in Delhi has been contacted for comment.