3 men from western UP go missing in Russia, kin say forced to fight in Ukraine

Three Indians from western Uttar Pradesh (UP) have gone missing in Russia after their passports were allegedly confiscated and they were forced to join the Russian Army to fight in the war in Ukraine.

The families of Himanshu Sharma, 24, and Shakti Punder, 23, from Muzaffarnagar, and Shamli’s Ashu Saini, 25, said they have been unable to contact them since July 30, after their panicked phone calls from Moscow.

The three were pursuing a Russian language course in Moscow. Their families said they went to Russia separately through a Shamli-based agent who charged each ₹3.5 lakh, promising student visas and arrangements for permissible part-time employment.

Saini left for Russia in April after completing his intermediate studies. Sharma and Punder were scheduled to return home in August as their one-year visas were due to expire. In their last conversations with their families in late July, the three allegedly said their passports were taken, and they were being forced into military service.

Saini’s sister, Anshul, said she spoke to him for only around 30 seconds during their last call. She said he told her he was fine before the call was disconnected and the family was unable to reach him again.

Saini’s father, Rakesh Kumar, a farmer, has approached the Prime Minister’s Office seeking urgent intervention. Punder’s father, Vipin Kumar, has sought the district administration and the Uttar Pradesh government’s help in finding his son’s whereabouts. “I have been struggling to get any information about my son since his last call. I have written to authorities, but we live in total uncertainty.”

Police were looking into the role of the Shamli-based agent who allegedly arranged the travel of the three.

In July, the external affairs ministry said India is pursuing the issue of the release of around two dozen Indian nationals serving in the Russian Army with authorities in Moscow, as the Supreme Court took up a petition filed by the kin of youths lured into military service in Russia.

Over 30 Indians have died so far while serving with the Russian military on the frontlines of the conflict in Ukraine.

The Supreme Court took up the petition filed by relatives of 26 Indians who went to Russia during 2024-2025 on tourist and student visas but were induced or lured by recruitment agents into joining military service.