Families of three young men from western Uttar Pradesh have reported them missing in Russia, voicing fears that they have been coerced into military service in the conflict with Ukraine. The men—Himanshu Sharma, 24, and Shakti Punder, 23, from Muzaffarnagar, along with Ashu Saini, 25, from Shamli—have been unreachable since July 30 following distressing telephone calls from Moscow.
According to their families, the three traveled to Russia through a recruitment agent based in Shamli who charged each individual ₹3.5 lakh. The agent promised student visas to pursue a Russian language course in Moscow along with arrangements for permissible part-time employment. Sharma and Punder were scheduled to return to India in August as their one-year visas were set to expire.
During their final phone conversations in late July, the men allegedly told their families that their passports had been confiscated and that they were being pressed into military service. Anshul, the sister of Ashu Saini, said her last conversation with him lasted only around 30 seconds before the connection was cut, after which the family was unable to re-establish contact.
Saini’s father, Rakesh Kumar, a farmer, has approached the Prime Minister’s Office seeking urgent intervention to locate his son. Vipin Kumar, the father of Shakti Punder, has similarly sought assistance from the Uttar Pradesh state government and local district administration. Police are currently investigating the role of the Shamli-based travel agent who arranged the men’s transport.
The development comes amidst ongoing diplomatic efforts regarding Indian nationals in the Russian armed forces. In July, India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed it was pursuing the release of approximately two dozen Indian citizens serving in the Russian Army with officials in Moscow. The Supreme Court of India also accepted a petition from the relatives of 26 Indians who traveled to Russia during 2024–2025 on student and tourist visas before being induced into military service. Over 30 Indian nationals have died on the frontlines of the conflict in Ukraine.
Sources
– [Hindustan Times](https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/3-men-from-western-up-go-missing-in-russia-kin-say-forced-to-fight-in-ukraine-101789451357488.html)
Source: Hindustan Times – India News
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Story synopsis gathered from: Hindustan Times – India News — source
