Mohammed Afzal Khan, an Indian national from Telangana, is feared dead near the Russia-Ukraine border after being falsely promised civilian employment and subsequently deployed to the Russian army. His case has come to light alongside reports of three other Telangana residents who remain missing under similar circumstances.
According to a voice message sent by fellow resident Sirshu Ashok, Afzal died the previous week near the frontlines. The families of the affected men have stated that they were misled about the nature of work abroad and later drawn into military service.
How Telangana Men Ended Up On The Russian Frontline
Afzal Khan hailed from Tadkol village in the Kamareddy district of Telangana. While reports indicate he is feared dead while serving with the Russian military, his family has not yet received official confirmation of his death.
Sirshu Ashok, another man from Telangana who travelled to Russia for work, sent a voice message to his wife detailing the deployment. Ashok stated that he was seriously injured in a Ukrainian missile attack and could not confirm the whereabouts of the two other men who travelled with them, Bhukya Ravinder and Megavath Prakash.
Families of the four men have approached local representatives, including Nizamabad MP Dharmapuri Arvind, seeking intervention from the Telangana government and the Centre. They also appealed to the Indian Embassy in Moscow to establish Afzal’s whereabouts and confirm his status.
Recruitment Through False Promises
The four men travelled to Russia approximately six months prior after paying around ₹3 lakh each for overseas employment arrangements. They were promised civilian jobs in sectors such as construction, gardening, security, and the oil industry.
Initially, the men performed tasks like cutting grass and gardening at a Russian military facility. However, they were later taken to a forested area, issued weapons, and subjected to military training. After working for nearly five months while receiving wages for only about two months, they were forced into military-related work with promises of financial benefits and Russian citizenship.
In connection with the alleged recruitment, Nizamabad police arrested 34-year-old Gourav Chaudhary. Prakash’s wife, Megavath Sunitha, stated in her complaint that an intermediary named Madhava Rao collected ₹2.4 lakh for travel and visa expenses, while other agents included Odde Yellaiah and Telu Krishna. Police stated that Chaudhary claimed his bank accounts were used by a Russian military recruitment agency, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Reports indicate that at least 16 men from the Nizamabad, Kamareddy, and Rajanna Sircilla districts of Telangana became caught up in Russian military recruitment. Three of these individuals have successfully returned to Telangana.
Documents, Contracts, And MEA Intervention
Communication with the men has proven difficult due to limited access to mobile phones, with messages occasionally sent through devices belonging to fellow workers. Discrepancies were also found in their documentation, as Sirshu Ashok, Megavath Prakash, and Mohammed Afzal Khan were issued Russian internal passports and signed one-year contracts with Russia’s Defence Ministry alongside notarised declarations renouncing Indian citizenship. Their families maintained that the men did not understand the documents they signed.
In May, the Union government reported that 217 Indian nationals had joined the Russian armed forces during the conflict, with 139 released from contracts, 49 dead, and six missing in action. By October, updated Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) figures showed that 227 Indians had been recruited, 139 discharged, and 51 deceased.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue during his visit to Moscow in July 2024, after which Russia indicated arrangements would be made for the early discharge of Indian nationals. Furthermore, the Centre informed the Supreme Court in May 2026 that DNA samples from relatives of 21 Indians had been collected and shared with Russian authorities to identify missing personnel and recover remains, while the Indian Embassy facilitates compensation claims for affected families.
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