Indian Embassy in Moscow Confirms Death of Indian Citizen in Ukraine

The Indian Embassy in Moscow has confirmed the death of 30-year-old Indian citizen Mohammad Asfani, who was recruited by the Russian army. “We are in touch with the deceased’s family and the Russian authorities,” the embassy stated in a post on its official page in the X social network on Wednesday, March 6.

The diplomats also promised to “make efforts” to return Asfani's remains to India.

Earlier, the deceased's brother, Mohammad Imran, told AFP that Asfani was sent to participate in the Ukrainian war. Asfani last called his brother from Donetsk, informing him that he was being sent to the front line. Another Indian national serving in the Russian army has informed the family of the deceased that Asfani sustained a gunshot wound.

According to Mohammad Imran, his brother “fell into a trap” after watching a video on the YouTube channel “Baba Vlogs,” which claimed that Indians working in the Russian army outside the combat zone would be able to obtain permanent residency in Russia. In November 2023, Asfani traveled to Moscow and signed a contract in Russian, after which he went missing.