Two Indian students ‘forcibly recruited’ into Russian army die in Ukraine

India says 50 citizens awaiting ‘early discharge’ from Russian armed forces

Two Indian men who had travelled to Russia on student visas were killed after being forcibly recruited to fight in the Ukraine war, their families alleged.

The bodies of Ajay Godara, 22, from Bikaner in Rajasthan state, and Rakesh Kumar Maurya, 30, from Uttarakhand, have since been returned and handed over to their relatives.

They had gone to Russia separately on student visas but later claimed in videos sent to their families that they had been recruited into the military and deployed to the frontline in Ukraine.

They alleged that they agreed to what they believed were non-combat civilian roles as cleaners and helpers, only to later discover they had been enlisted into the Russian military and deployed to the front lines in Ukraine. The two were likely looking for part-time jobs on their student visa.

Their deaths have renewed concerns in India over the recruitment of its citizens into the Russian military.

The Independent previously reported on the plight of some of the Indian recruits in the Russian military who faced life-threatening situations during frontline deployments in Ukraine.

As many as 202 Indians have been recruited into the Russian armed forces since the Ukraine war began in early 2022, and 26 have been killed so far, the foreign ministry informed the parliament on Thursday. At least seven have been reported missing.

The ministry added that it was working to get an “early discharge” of 50 Indian citizens currently serving in the Russian army.

“The ministry has provided assistance in the repatriation of the mortal remains of 10 deceased Indian nationals and local cremation of two deceased nationals,” minister of state for external affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said.

Six Indians who were fighting for the Russian army in the Ukraine war have been released and are set to return to India in September 2024 (Supplied to The Independent)

She said DNA samples of the family members of 18 Indians reported dead or missing had been shared with Russian authorities in an effort to help establish their identities.

“India remains continuously engaged with the Russian side to ensure the safety, well-being, and early discharge of all Indian nationals in the Russian armed forces,” she said.

Godara had travelled to Russia in November 2024 to study a language course and was allegedly recruited after nearly 10 months. Godara’s family had last heard from him on 22 September.

He was the only son of Mahavir Prasad and Kalavati Godara, who had been pleading for help from local officials after learning about his recruitment.

“I sent him to study, why did you throw him into this war? Ajju is my only son. Bring him home at any cost,” his mother told the Patrika newspaper after they received the news of his death.

A Russian rocket launcher fires towards Ukrainian positions at an undisclosed location in Ukraine on 16 December (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service)

In one of his videos, Godara appeared composed as he said he was part of a group of four soldiers fighting in a village in Selydove, a Ukrainian city in Donetsk region that was captured by Russia.

“I’ve come into a network area after eight days. We were attacked with missiles and drones. One of the recruits died in front of me, the other two ran away and I became lost,” Godara, wearing a military uniform, said. “My team members have now found me. I don’t know what is going to happen to me. I’ve given my statement that I was forcibly recruited.”

In another video, he said he feared for his life. What he had been promised was entirely different, he said, adding the recording “might be his last”.

On Thursday, his relatives, friends and neighbours performed his last rites and chanted “long live Ajay”. His uniform and a Russian flag were put on display alongside his coffin.

The family of Maurya, who had enrolled in St Petersburg University on 8 August 2025, refused to speak to the media.

A friend, Pankaj Kumar, told The Hindu newspaper that the family learned of his death five days ago.

“The family was told that he died in the Donbas area,” Mr Kumar said. “He last spoke to them on 30 August.”

Russia’s war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year, has seen thousands of foreigners, including those from Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, China, and Cuba, recruited to fight on Moscow’s side. Many of them have claimed they were forced or duped into the fighting.

Kyiv’s forces have captured some 200 foreigners from 37 countries fighting for Russia, according to the Ukrainian Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.

The Independent has reached out to the Russian embassy in Delhi for a comment.