David Moothappan saw a Twitter advertisements for work as security soldiers in Russia in October of last year.
The promised regular wage- 204, 000 francs ($ 2, 201, £1, 739 )- seemed a huge amount to the school- student fish from the southern Indian state of Kerala.
Weeks after, Mr Moothappan, 23, found himself on the warfront in the Soviet- held city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine.
” It’s death and destruction everywhere”, he says, when asked about his time there.
Some have made it up household, but others are also imprisoned in Russia. The majority of them are from underprivileged communities, and they were lured into working for the Russian army, occasionally as “helpers.” At least two Indians have lost their lives so far in the conflict.
Warning: This article contains facts some readers may find disconcerting.
Mr. Moothappan says he ca n’t forget what he witnessed during the war, but is relieved to be back home in the Keralan fishing village Pozhiyoor.
” There were system components strewn all over the floor”, he says. Distraught, he started vomiting and nearly fainted.
The Soviet officer commanding us immediately told me to return to the station. It took days for me to recover”, he says.
He says he broke his hip around Christmas while fighting in a “remote spot”- his family, he says, did n’t know about his position at that time.
Before recovering half, Mr. Moothappan spent two and a half times in various hospitals in Luhansk, Volgograd, and Rostov.
In March, a group of Indians helped him reach the region’s ambassador in Moscow, which finally arranged for him to go back home.
Some 61km apart in Anchuthengu, another fishing village in Kerala, Prince Sebastian has a comparable tale of escape- and trauma- to show.
He was duped by a native representative and stationed in a group of 30 soldiers in Lysychansk, a village in eastern Ukraine that was under Russian occupation. After only three weeks of education, he says he was sent to the front with some weapons including an RPG- 30 ( a smartphone, disposable rocket- propelled grenade launcher ) and bombs, which prevented him from moving fast.
He claims that a close-range bullet sprayed from the container he was in struck his left ear 15 minutes later when he reached the top. He jumped onto a useless Russian man, which he realized.
” I was shocked and I could n’t move. After an hour, as the evening fell, another bomb exploded. My remaining leg was severely injured.
He spent the night in a pipe, bleeding. He fled the following day and spent several weeks in various institutions.
He then got a week’s leave to sleep. A priest assisted him in getting in touch with the Indian ambassador, which gave him a momentary id, and set up a visitation for him.
He says two of his friends who went with him, even fishermen, are also missing. He and their families have not spoken to them in months.
Authorities in Kerala claim that they have so far received concerns about being duped by officials from the people of four people, including Mr. Moothappan, Mr. Sebastian, and his two companions.
Mr. Sebastian claims that he and his friends visited a neighborhood agent in their community to see if there are any openings in Europe ( the person is currently fleeing ).
The agent suggested Russia, speaking of a “golden opportunity” to work as a security guard for a monthly salary of 200, 000 rupees ($ 2, 402, £1, 898 ). They agreed quickly.
The pals paid 700, 000 pounds each to him for a Russian card. On 4 January, they reached Moscow, where an American broker identified as Alex, who spoke their language, Malayalam, welcomed them.
They spent the night in a flat, following which a man took them to a military officer in the city of Kostroma, 336km ( 208 miles ) away, where they were made to sign a contract in Russian, a language they could n’t read, Mr Sebastian said.
Three additional Sri Lankan recruits even enlisted there. The six people were then transported to a military training facility in the Rostov area, which borders Ukraine. The soldiers confiscated their mobile phones and documents.
The teaching started on 10 January. In the days that followed, they learned how to use hand anti-tank explosives and what to do if hurt.
They were then transported to a second center known as the Alabino Polygon. There, the education continued for 10 times, “day and day”.
” All kinds of weapons were waiting for us there”, Mr Sebastian said. ” I started enjoying the products and arms.”
But the harsh truth of the conflict hit him on the field.
Today, he is hoping to continue fish. He says,” I have to repay the money I borrowed from creditors and resume my life.”
In Pozhiyoor, Mr Moothappan hopes to do the same.
When I left, I was engaged to a woman in my community. I told her I’ll returning with money and create a home before our marriage”, he said.
The pair have then chosen to wait another two years while Mr. Moothappan tries to resurrect his life.
But he’s happy that at least he did n’t kill anyone in his time on the battlefield.
” One day, the Russians were some 200m ahead. He said we were instructed to launch an offensive, but he refused to flame even one chance at them. ” I ca n’t kill anybody”.