Lucknow: A 31-year-old man from Lucknow who travelled to Belarus for employment has allegedly become trapped in the Russian military, prompting his family to seek urgent intervention from the Centre amid fears that he could be deployed to the frontline at any time.Ashish Singh left India on June 8 on a work visa after securing a job abroad through an agent, family members said. Four months later, however, relatives claim he informed them that he had been deceived into joining the Russian Army and was undergoing military training ahead of possible combat deployment.The Indian Embassy in Moscow has formally taken up the matter with the Russian Ministry of Defence and sought Singh’s release. Family members have also approached Union minister of state for external affairs Kirtivardhan Singh, who, according to them, assured them of support in the matter.“My brother is terrified and desperate to return home. Every passing day increases the risk to his life,” said his sister, Sukhmani Singh, an advocate practising at the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad high court.According to representations submitted to the Ministry of External Affairs and the embassy, Singh initially worked at a farm in Dubina, Belarus. The family alleged that he was not paid the promised salary and later shifted to a construction site before moving to Minsk in search of better opportunities.While in Minsk, Singh came in contact with individuals who offered him work in Russia. His family claims he was subsequently misled into signing documents linked to military service and was transported to a Russian training facility.Relatives said their concerns deepened on Oct 8 when Singh contacted them via WhatsApp and alleged that he had been tricked into joining the Russian military. He reportedly said he was being trained at a camp identified as “Taifun” or “Typhoon”, had been assigned the name “Sher Khan”, and could soon be sent to the frontline.During another call on Oct 21, he allegedly said deployment could take place within days. He also complained of inadequate food and said his diabetes was not receiving proper medical attention.“We want him back home safely at the earliest,” said his father, Rajendra Singh.
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