The families of four men from Telangana have sought urgent government help to bring their relatives back from Russia, who returned to the country after they received offers to work in the civilian sector but were forced to join the Russian military as part of the Russia-Ukraine war. They approached CM Pravasi Prajavani in Hyderabad on September 29 seeking help for the safe release and return of the men. The case has been referred to the NRI wing of the state government’s NRI for cooperation with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Indian Embassy in Moscow.
According to families, the men had traveled to Russia in the belief that they would work in civilian jobs and were unaware they could eventually get into military service. Relatives say at least a few men have been moved closer to the frontline and are worried about their safety as the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues.
Prakash, one of the men identified by his family, is a farmer from Telangana. According to his wife Megavath Sunitha, who said Prakash had been offered jobs in Russia and was initially unaware that he was going to work in Russia. He spoke to the family only once after he reached a military camp, she said. Prakash is in a military camp, his brother-in-law Laudya Ravi said, and two other men in the group have been transferred closer to the frontline. Sunitha also reported that Prakash's phone had been taken away and that he was scared for his safety.
Another case is Mohammed Afzan Khan, who lives in Tadkole village. His wife, Jameela Begum, told us that after he got to Russia, his family received distress messages from Afzan. Afzan had left his wife, two children, and his father Abbas Khan. His family has now appealed to the government for urgent assistance to return him.
Another family member, Ravinder, has also approached authorities. His two sons Nithin and Arvind, in particular, are dependent on him and are worried about him and his safety and return, his relatives said.
The families’ representations to the state government followed appeals by Nizamabad Rural MLA R Bhupathi Reddy on the MADAD portal of the MEA and through the Telangana government’s NRI department. CM Pravasi Prajavani officials, including Gadwal Vijayalakshmi and nodal officer K Vidyasagar, met the families and directed the NRI wing to coordinate with the MEA and Indian Embassy in Moscow. The complaint was also sent to the NRI Cell of the General Administration Department.
Documents submitted by the families also raise questions about the recruitment process through which the men are said to be employed in Russia. There are documents that show a recruitment advertisement for general and mechanical helper positions through a company called Pondera Co. According to the Times of India, the advertisement offered a monthly salary of $477 and free food and said applicants would not need to take a Russian language test and details about their working hours and other employment conditions.
Odde Yellaiah is also mentioned in the Russian documents as an Indian civilian worker, employed by Pondera Industry LLC. His work permit lists him as an industrial pipeline installer and says he is very qualified. The documents describe a work permit from December 29, 2025, until December 28, 2028. The documents also state that the FSB issued a pass for access to a controlled border area for employment and did not identify Yellaiah as military personnel.
The allegations come alongside other cases in which Indians have been caught up in the Russia-Ukraine conflict after traveling to Russia for education, jobs, or other purposes. Recently, a Gujarat student, for example, signed a Russian military contract and was sent to the Ukrainian frontline and arrived in Ukrainian custody.
But to the four Telangana families, the priority is the safe return of their relatives. So they are now seeking diplomatic interventions and coordination between Indian authorities and Russian officials to establish the status of the men, to have them released if they are in military service, and to get them back home.
The case also shows the importance of assessing overseas employment offers carefully, especially in areas affected by armed conflict. Recruitment ads that promise civilian jobs should be independently checked for both the employer, visa category, work permit, job location, and contract terms before going abroad, as well as for applicants.
As the Telangana government's NRI wing begins working with central authorities and the Indian mission in Moscow, families are waiting for more information on the location and status of the four men. Their appeals underscore the human risks faced by workers who travel abroad seeking employment and then get caught up in circumstances they say they didn’t expect.
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