India has exposed a "large human trafficking network" that lured young people to Russia with the promise of work and then forced them to fight in Ukraine. This was reported by Reuters with reference to the country's Central Bureau of Investigation, UNN reports.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said on Thursday that about 35 people were sent to Russia as part of the scheme, more than the 20 people previously reported by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs
At least two men who traveled to Russia expecting to work in the army as "assistants" have been killed in the fighting at the front, their families have reported. The Indian Embassy in Russia confirmed the death of one of them .
The CBI said in a statement that the traffickers, who operated in several Indian states, recruited people through social media and local agents. Some of them were offered admission to "dubious private universities" in Russia and "free visa extensions at a discount" to lure them to their homes.
"Indian citizens who became victims of human trafficking were trained in combat skills and sent to forward bases in the Russian-Ukrainian war zone against their will," the agency said, adding that some of the victims also sustained "severe injuries" in the war zone.
The CBI reported that searches are being conducted in a number of locations, including the capital New Delhi and Mumbai. Cash worth $605,000 has already been seized, as well as some documents and electronic records.
"Some suspects were also detained for interrogation in various locations," the statement said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that every case of Indians being deceived to participate in the war was "resolutely dealt with" in Moscow.