Promised jobs, pushed to war: The Russia recruitment trail from Telangana
HYDERABAD: For dozens of families in Telangana, promises of jobs in Russia have turned into a fight to bring their men home. Questions now surround how people seeking civilian jobs ended up in military camps and near conflict zones. Families also want to know how the recruitment networks operated.
The latest rescue appeals involve four men from the Nizamabad-Kamareddy region — Bhookya Ravinder (44), Sirushu Ashok (44), Megavath Prakash (40) and Mohammed Afzal Khan (43). Their families allege that an agent, Thelu Krishna, lured them with promises of civilian jobs in the oil industry and security services. Krishna is linked to Domakonda and reportedly operates from Russia.
The men travelled to Russia around February after their families allegedly paid nearly ₹3 lakh each. Despite repeated complaints, no major action against the alleged recruitment network in Telangana has been reported so far, as reported by TOI.
Agents allegedly charged lakhs for civilian jobs
Migrant rights activist Gangula Muralidhar Reddy said agents often charged workers ₹2.75 lakh for jobs such as cleaning and grass-cutting. The amount did not include visa, ticket and medical expenses.
He alleged that several recruiters bypassed the government’s eMigrate system. Workers from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh were among those recruited, he said.
“Some workers borrowed to migrate, while others had previously tried working in Dubai without success. Low civilian wages could leave them susceptible to military offers,” Muralidhar told Media.
He said some agents offered an initial payment of ₹8 lakh, an advance of ₹4 lakh and the promise of citizenship. Agents also received payments under such arrangements, he alleged.
Earlier cases show different recruitment routes leading to similar outcomes. Hyderabad resident Mohammed Afsan responded to a YouTube advertisement for helper work and the possibility of permanent residency. His family said intermediaries collected about ₹3.5 lakh before he travelled to Moscow via Sharjah. The Indian embassy later confirmed his death in March 2024.
Mohammed Ahmed from Khairatabad took another route. A Mumbai-based consultancy sent him to Russia in April 2025 for what he believed was a construction job. He later said he underwent weapons training. He avoided deployment after jumping from a military vehicle. The escape left him with a fractured leg, and he returned home in December 2025.
Families seek help from state, MEA and embassy
The recurring cases have raised questions about links between local agents and recruiters operating abroad. They have also raised concerns over how recruitment payments move through these networks.
Nizamabad police commissioner P Sai Chaitanya told the Media that Prakash’s family had filed a complaint against the agents. Police would examine the complaint, he said.
Chaitanya said the workers initially travelled on proper contracts. After those contracts ended, they took up other jobs through agents in Russia, he said.
He urged people to use registered recruitment agencies and official Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) channels for overseas employment.
Families seeking help now have to approach state authorities, the MEA and the Indian embassy. However, Russian authorities have the final say on the discharge of Indians from its military.
The scale of the issue became clearer on August 31. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said India had information about 227 Indian nationals recruited into the Russian armed forces. Of them, 139 had been discharged and 51 had died.
India continues talks with Russian authorities for the release and repatriation of those whose cases remain pending.
The cases have renewed calls for awareness programmes, particularly in North Telangana. They have also highlighted the need for stronger safeguards against fraudulent overseas recruitment.
