Hindustan Times reports that Indian authorities have issued a fresh warning to citizens after new reports emerged of men being lured into joining the Russian Army under false pretenses and deployed to the frontlines in Ukraine.

India urges citizens to avoid Russian military recruitment

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a strong advisory on 11 September 2025 warning Indian nationals against accepting any offers to join the Russian Army, calling such a course “fraught with danger,” Hindustan Times says. The warning comes after The Hindu reported that two Indian men, speaking by phone from Selydove — a town in Donetsk Oblast captured by Russia in November 2024 — said they had been tricked into traveling to Russia on the promise of construction jobs and were then forced into combat roles in Ukraine.

The men said they were part of a group of at least 15 Indian nationals who had entered Russia over the past six months using student or visitor visas. According to the report, the agent who had promised construction work instead sent them to the battlefield. Their claims add to growing fears that Indian citizens are being recruited into foreign armies through deception, placing them at grave risk.

Ministry demands release of Indians forced into frontline roles

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that India has raised the matter with Russian authorities in both Moscow and Delhi.

“We are also in touch with the families of the affected Indian citizens,” he said.

Jaiswal emphasized that the government has repeatedly warned citizens over the past year about the dangers of joining the Russian military.

“We once again strongly urge all Indian nationals to stay away from any offers to join the Russian army, as this is a course fraught with danger,” he added.