Mercenary recruitment; those trapped in Russia should be brought back

News coming out is proving that human trafficking that happened from Kerala to Russia for war was not on a small scale. A Malayali is also among the victims of human trafficking who were seriously injured after fighting alongside Russian mercenaries. It has been reported that the leg of David, a native of Poovar, was shattered in the drone attack. David himself informed his family from Russia that the three Indians with him were killed and now he is staying in a refugee camp.

A preliminary investigation by various investigative agencies has revealed that several youths were taken from Thiruvananthapuram's Thumba, Anchuthengu and Poovar by agents on the pretext of security work and handed over to Russian mercenaries. Agents take them to Russia by accepting lakhs through labour fraud. The central government and the CBI are continuing efforts to bring back three youths from Anchuthengu who were trapped in the war front of Ukraine. CBI is trying to do this through Interpol. There are also indications that a few Indians were removed from the war front as per India's request.

No clear figure has come out about how many people from Kerala have reached Russia and been assigned to the war front. They reached Russia through various agents. Malayalees were recruited by hiding the fact that they were being taken to join the mercenary army. They were not directly recruited by the Russian army. The CBI has received an indication that they were handed over to the mercenary group named Wagner. The inability of central diplomats to directly interact with them also complicates their release. The Indian Ambassador and Embassy in Moscow should intervene in the matter and expedite the process to complete their release at the earliest.

The Malayalees who were brought to Russia through labour fraud were given 23 days of combat training and were released to the war front with their passports seized. Russia intensifying its attack on Ukraine after the massacre by the IS terrorist group in Russia has also created the situation of more casualties on the war front. Information has also come out that Santosh alias Alex, a native of Tumba who has taken Russian citizenship, was the main agent in trafficking Malayalees from Kerala to Russia. More information will come out only after he is arrested. There should be an urgent effort to repatriate those stranded on the war front with temporary passports. The central government should take action for this after contacting the Russian government directly.