YouTube channel linked to Indians falsely drafted in Russian army: Details

The Centre said last week that several Indians hired as support staff to the Russian army were discharged following India's demand

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As many as 20 Indian nationals are still struck in Russia after being duped over job prospects, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Thursday.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that the Indians, who are in Russia, have been advised not to venture into the war zone. MEA's statement followed days after it said that several Indians, hired as support staff to the Russian army, were discharged following India's demand.

Reports emerged that some of these people were being forced to fight the war on behalf of Russia. "Each and every such case brought to the attention of the Indian embassy in Moscow has been strongly taken up with the Russian authorities and those brought to the attention of the Ministry have been taken up with the Russian embassy in New Delhi," the MEA said on last Monday.

How were Indians duped into fighting for Russia?

The stranded Indians had gone to Russia to work as support staff or helpers to the Russian army. The incident gained prominence after a Hyderabad man named Mohammad Sufiyan's family urged the Centre to bring him back to India in February.

Sufiyan's family explained that he was approached by a company called 'Baba Blocks Company' for a job prospect. The family claimed that the company has offices in Dubai, Mumbai and Delhi. According to them, the company took the first batch of youth to Russia in early November last year. All those 21 youths reportedly paid Rs 3 lakh to the firm.

On November 13, they signed an agreement in Russia. Baba Blocks promised them that their jobs would be that of support staff for the Russian army but they found themselves drafted into the army itself and were forced to fight for Ukraine, Sufiyaan's family alleged.

They were reportedly given basic weapon-handling training before being deployed into the army.

YouTuber named Faisal Khan being linked to fraud

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MP Asaduddin Owaisi has also written to the Centre on this matter. He said that some of the families of the stuck Indians from Telangana had sought help from him in December.

A report by NDTV says that a content creator Faisal Khan, who owns a YouTube channel called 'Baba Vlogs', has been linked to the incident. The YouTuber would post videos about getting job permits in foreign nations and consequently dupe Indians looking for employment opportunities. Owaisi also mentioned Khan in a press conference last month.

(With PTI inputs)