Mohammed Asfan, a 30-year-old Indian citizen from Hyderabad, who was reportedly deceived into joining the Russian Army in its conflict against Ukraine, has passed away.

Mohammed Afsan, a 30-year-old individual from Hyderabad, was reportedly among several Indians deceived under the pretext of a lucrative job opportunity in Russia. Tragically, he is said to have lost his life in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, allegedly while participating in combat for the Kremlin.

In response to the news, the Embassy of India in Russia has tweeted, "We have received information about the unfortunate demise of Indian national Mohammed Asfan. We are in communication with the family and Russian authorities. The mission will endeavor to repatriate his mortal remains to India." Following the tragedy, the family of Mohammed Asfan sought help from AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi to facilitate the return of the deceased from Russia. Nevertheless, upon contacting the Indian Embassy in Moscow, AIMIM officials were informed of Asfan's demise. The young man is survived by his wife and two children.

“They were deceived. The recruiter assured them they would be working exclusively in Moscow, but instead, after a 15-day training, they were deployed to Ukraine, where they are being compelled to remain alongside Russian troops engaged in the conflict,” claimed Mohammed Imran, the brother of Afsan. He further mentioned that his brother arrived in Moscow in November.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaddudin Owaisi, who has maintained continuous communication with Mohammed Irfan, the victim's brother, stated that after numerous attempts, the family was informed of Mr. Asfan's demise on Wednesday. Mr. Owaisi mentioned, "An Indian Embassy official verified Asfan's passing." Despite learning about his death on March 6, the exact date of his demise remains unclear.

Asfan, along with others, fell victim to deceptive agents who recruited them as 'helpers' for the Russian Army in the ongoing conflict. This incident follows the recent death of 23-year-old Hamil Mangukiya from Gujarat, who applied for a job in Russia through an online ad and was recruited as a 'helper' in the Russian Army. Mangukiya lost his life in a Ukrainian airstrike on February 21 in the Donetsk region. Reports indicate that numerous Indians are being misled into serving as security aides for the Russian military, with some allegedly forced into combat with Ukrainian forces in border areas.