A disturbing claim has emerged from Punjab, where a man searching for his missing brother alleges that at least 10 Indian nationals have died while serving in the Russian Army during the ongoing Ukraine conflict. Jagdeep Kumar, a resident of Jalandhar’s Goraya town, stated that three of the deceased hailed from Punjab, with the other seven originating from Uttar Pradesh and Jammu. Kumar asserted that this information is substantiated by documents he obtained from the Russian Army, which he has since submitted to the office of Rajya Sabha MP Balbir Singh Seechewal. He further reported that four other Indian citizens are currently unaccounted for in Russia. Kumar undertook two separate trips to Russia in his determined effort to locate his brother, Mandeep Kumar, who disappeared after being enlisted in the Russian military. According to Jagdeep, Mandeep was lured to Russia by a travel agent with the promise of employment, only to be coerced into military service. The last communication from Mandeep was in March 2024. Jagdeep initially sought assistance from AAP MP Balbir Singh Seechewal on June 29, 2024, requesting help for his brother’s safe return and that of other Indians allegedly trapped within the Russian forces. Subsequently, MP Seechewal engaged with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, lodging a formal request for immediate governmental intervention. Jagdeep expressed gratitude for Seechewal’s continuous support, which included facilitating travel arrangements for his Russian visits. He indicated that previous efforts have already led to the safe repatriation of several young Indians. Jagdeep’s initial visit lasted 21 days, followed by a two-month second trip where he claims to have compiled comprehensive details on Indians engaged in the Russian military. Meanwhile, MP Seechewal has urged the central government to leverage diplomatic channels to halt all further recruitment of Indian youth into the Russian military and to pursue stringent action against fraudulent travel agents misleading aspiring job seekers.
