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Fact Check
A viral video purportedly showing Indian men stranded in Russia is being shared with the claim that the PM Modi government sold Punjabi youths to Russia to fight against Ukraine.
False. The men in the viral video were victims of fraudulent travel agents who lured them with promises of jobs abroad. Once in Russia, they were forcibly recruited into the Russian Army. There is no evidence that the Indian government sold its citizens.
A video showing some young men in military fatigues, purportedly stranded in Russia and appealing for help to return home, is being shared with the allegation that the Indian government sold “innocent Punjabi youths” to Russia to serve in the Ukraine war. Newschecker, however, found the claim to be untrue.
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A keyword search for “Indians” and “Russian army” led us to a report by The New Indian Express, which confirmed that several young men from Punjab, Haryana, and Jammu had sent desperate SOS videos from the Russia-Ukraine frontline. Wearing Russian military fatigues, they pleaded for urgent rescue, claiming they were tricked into joining the Russian Army by agents who promised jobs or study visas.
A report by The Wire carried multiple clips, including the viral footage. It stated that a group of seven men who had travelled to Moscow on study and business visas were deceived by a third-party agent and taken to a Russian Army camp on August 18, 2025. In one such video, the stranded youth could be seen appealing directly to the Indian government for help.
Carrying a screengrab from the video, a Hindustan Times report dated September 17, 2025, identified two youths from Ludhiana and Moga who had gone to Russia on student visas but ended up being “recruited” into the army. Their families alleged they were duped by local agents.
Karamjit Kaur, sister of Buta Singh (seen in the video), told The Indian Express that Singh left for Russia in October 2024 through a Delhi-based agent he found on YouTube. The family later learned that he had been forcibly taken to the battlefield and made to fight for the Russian Army.
India Today reported that several men from Punjab had been misled with job offers abroad. They were sent to Russia on tourist or student visas, then trapped in military camps and pushed to the frontline.
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In a video call with India Today TV, Gursevak Singh from Jalandhar said: “We are stuck here on visitor visas. They gave us guns without training. We don’t even have proper food. Please help us.”
This shows that the men were duped by private agents, not sold by the Indian government.
On September 11, 2025, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated:
“We have taken up the matter with Russian authorities, both in Delhi and Moscow, asking that this practice be ended and that our nationals be released. We are also in touch with the families of the affected Indian citizens.”
In January 2025, the MEA confirmed that 12 Indian nationals had died fighting for Russia and 16 were missing. They were among 126 Indians who were misled by agents into going to Russia.
False. The viral claim that the Modi government sold Punjabi youths to Russia is misinformation. The men were lured by job agents, trafficked into Russia, and forced into the Army.
Q1. Did the Indian government ‘sell’ citizens to Russia?
No. There is no evidence to support this. The men were deceived by agents, not sold by the government.
Q2. Who are the men seen in the viral video?
They are Indian nationals who were tricked into going to Russia for jobs or education but were forced into military service.
3. What is the Indian government doing about this?
The MEA has raised the issue with Russian authorities and is helping families of those affected.
Sources
Report By The New Indian Express, Dated September 12, 2025
YouTube Video By The Wire, Dated September 11, 2025
Report By Hindustan Times, Dated September 17, 2025
Report By The Indian Express, Dated September 16, 2025
Report By India Today, Dated September 11, 2025
X Post By MEA India, Dated September 11, 2025
False
Kushel Madhusoodan
September 24, 2025
Ishwarachandra B G
September 23, 2025
Vasudha Beri
September 23, 2025
