Three young men from western Uttar Pradesh have gone missing in Moscow after coming to Russia on study visas, and families are understandably concerned about their safety as the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to brew.
Himanshu Sharma, 24, Shakti Punder, 23, from Muzaffarnagar, and Ashu Saini, 25, of Shamli, are the missing men. The three travelled to Russia for educational purposes, and they had been taking a Russian language course, their relatives told us.
The families claim the men were staying together in a room in Moscow and had been in contact with their relatives until July 30. Since then, their phones have been switched off, and their families have been unable to contact them.
The situation of their disappearance has complicated the families’ feelings, especially the men’s claims they were making before communication was lost.
Families Allege Passports Were Taken
According to relatives, the three men had informed their families that their passports had been taken by local authorities and that they were being forced into military service.
The allegations have not been independently confirmed, and we do not know where the three men are. Their families have approached the relevant authorities for help and the safety of them and their return to India.
The case has caused much anxiety in their hometowns, where relatives are waiting for any news about the young men.
Last Contact on July 30
The family members said their last conversation with the three men was on July 30. They spoke briefly with their relatives that day, after which communication stopped.
Himanshu Sharma had traveled to Russia on a student visa, his cousin Priyanshu Sharma said. The family said he intended to pursue his studies while also taking part-time work.
Priyanshu said that the family had been unable to reach Himanshu since July 30. Repeated attempts to contact him were unsuccessful after his phone became unreachable.
The sudden loss of communication has exacerbated fears because the three men were supposedly together when they were last heard from.
Russia-Ukraine Conflict Raises Concerns
The disappearance comes at the same time as the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, in which foreign nationals have voiced concerns over recruitment, military service and fake jobs.
That is just the sort of uncertainty that Indian families feel when relatives travel to Russia to study or get jobs. The situation is more concerning when people have lost their passports or phones and communication devices.
But the exact circumstances will need to be established by authorities. It’s not yet clear where the three men are located, whether they have been recruited into any military-related activity, or what steps were taken after their alleged detention.
Families Seek Government Help
The families of Himanshu, Shakti and Ashu now need urgent assistance to find out what happened to the three men.
Their relatives hope Indian authorities will coordinate with their Russian counterparts to locate the young men and check their safety. They are also searching for clues on whether the young men are still in Moscow or have been relocated.
When it comes to families, information about their sons and their safe return is the priority.
The incident also underlines the need for Indians to be cautious if they are going overseas for education or work in countries hit by armed conflicts. Students and job candidates should be careful about visa arrangements, educational institutions, job offers and local laws as well when travelling.
Families are now waiting for official information that could provide answers to the many questions surrounding the disappearance.
As the search for the three men continues, relatives in Muzaffarnagar and Shamli are hopeful that they will soon get the assurance that Himanshu Sharma, Shakti Punder and Ashu Saini are safe and that steps can be taken to bring them back home.
The families’ allegations of forced military recruitment are still claims and have not been independently established. It may be helpful to obtain information from Indian or Russian authorities about what happened to the three men after they last had contact on July 30.
