“I Don’t Want to Fight for Russia…”: Hyderabad Man Trapped in Ukraine War

A Telangana resident, Afsha Begum, has claimed that her husband is stuck in the middle of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. According to Afsha, her husband Mohammed Ahmed traveled to Russia from Telangana in April 2025, hoping to find a job in the construction sector.

Trapped in the War Zone

However, just a few days after arriving in Russia, Ahmed found himself caught in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. Afsha alleges that their job agent deceived him and forced him to the frontline.

Appeal to the Ministry of External Affairs

Recently, Afsha Begum appealed to the Ministry of External Affairs for help in rescuing her 37-year-old husband. She claimed that Ahmed was trapped in Russia and compelled to undergo combat training against his will.

In a letter to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Afsha explained that a Mumbai-based consultancy firm had offered her husband a job at a construction company in Russia. According to the agreement, Ahmed left India in April 2025 and reached Russia expecting a legitimate employment opportunity.

Forced Combat Training

Afsha claims that her husband was left idle for nearly a month, and later, along with 30 others, was sent to a remote area for forced weapons training.

After the training, 26 people were sent to the border area to fight the Ukrainian army. During the journey, Ahmed jumped from a military vehicle, fracturing his right leg, and refused to fight. However, he is allegedly being threatened with death if he does not participate in the battle.

Ahmed’s Video Message

Ahmed recorded a video from Russia, stating that of the 25 people who underwent training with him, 17 have been killed, including one Indian.

In the video, he said, "The place where I am is a border, and war is going on. Four of us Indians refused to go. They threatened us. They even held a gun on me, saying they would shoot me and make it look like I was killed in a drone attack. My leg is plastered, and I can’t walk. Please don’t let go of the agent who sent me here. He trapped me in this. For 25 days, I was made to sit idle, asking for work with no result. I was forcibly dragged into this under the pretext of a job in Russia."

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.@DrSJaishankar Sir, one Mohammed Ahmed resident of H No: 6-3-1242/2 M S Maqta, Opposite Raj Bhawan, Hyderabad, Telangana State holder of Indian Passport No: X9564204 who was in search of job was offered to work in Russia in a construction company by Trust Consultancy whos owener… pic.twitter.com/ex3VdbFNQl

— Amjed Ullah Khan MBT (@amjedmbt) October 15, 2025 >

This harrowing account has raised serious concerns about Indians being misled into conflict zones under false promises of employment.