‘He had no idea he was being sent to a war zone’: the Indian and Nepalese men on frontlines in Ukraine
GuardianFeb 28
India: Trafficking Racket Allegedly Dupes People into Fighting for Russia
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The Facts
India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has unearthed an alleged "major human trafficking network," which it claims has tricked some 35 Indian nationals with the false promise of job opportunities but forced them to fight for Russia in Ukraine.
This comes after 245 Nepalese families filed petitions claiming that their relatives were trapped in the Russian army. While the government of Nepal has demanded its citizens be "immediately returned," India has warned its people to "exercise due caution and stay away from this conflict."
The Spin
Anti-Russia narrative
While this trafficking ring seems to be headquartered in the Middle East, Russian soldiers are taking full advantage of it by forcing these victims to the frontlines of the war. The Russian government must put an end to this scheme and ensure human trafficking is no longer a part of its war strategy.
Pro-Russia narrative
If this were some secret pro-Russia recruitment scheme, Moscow would be doing a terrible job at it. Criminal human traffickers — who are charging these men fees to obtain visas that don't exist — are violating Russian laws for profit. Moscow is already working with the Indian embassy to return these victims to India.
