22 November 2024

Indians Are Seeking Work in War Zones

Puja Changoiwala

Afsan Mohammed, a 30-year-old from the southern Indian state of Telangana, could not find a job that matched his skills, despite having a business degree. While working a retail job with low pay, he found a YouTube channel that promised work in Moscow. He left India on Nov. 9, 2023, but instead of the job he had hoped for in Moscow, he found himself coerced into fighting in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He did not return alive.

His brother, Imran Mohammed, told me that his brother fell prey to the lure of better wages. “He was promised a monthly salary of 45,000 rupees [$532], which would increase to 150,000 rupees [$1,775] after three months, in addition to a Russian passport and citizenship,” he said.

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