Haryana youth dies in Russia; family claims he was forced to fight in war against Ukraine

PTC News Desk: The problem appears to have persisted despite numerous complaints from Indians who are stranded in Russia fighting the war against Ukraine. According to the most recent information, a Haryana man, 22, is reported to have lost his life while fighting.

The dead was identified as Ravi Moun, a resident of Kaithal district, Haryana's Matour village. Moun's death was confirmed to his family in India by the Indian embassy in Moscow; nonetheless, the cause of his death remained a mystery.

According to Moun's relatives, he was "forced to battle against Ukraine forces" before passing away on the Russian front. According to Ajay Moun, the brother of the deceased, the embassy has now requested the results of Ravi's mother's DNA test from his family. "As we have lost our mother, we will be sending the DNA test report of our father to the Indian embassy soon," Ajay was stated in an Indian Express report.

Up until March 12, we had communication with him. He informed us that day that he had been on the front lines since March 6 and that he would need to return there. We lost contact with him after that," Ajay was cited in the publication.

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Ajay claims to have sent an email to the embassy on July 21 asking about Ravi. A few days later, in response to Ajay's message, Gloria Dung Dung, Second Secretary, Embassy of India (Moscow), verified Ravi's passing.

According to reports, the embassy wrote: "As requested by you, the embassy had asked the concerned Russian Authorities for certification of his death and transportation of his mortal remains. The fatality has been confirmed by the Russian side. But in order to identify the deceased, they want a DNA test from one of his close relatives, preferably his mother.

As discussed over the phone, it is asked that his mother undergo a DNA test in India at a government or accredited hospital, and that the results be sent to the Indian Embassy in Moscow. As asked by the appropriate Russian authorities, the report will be shared with them for the purpose of identifying the deceased, the embassy is reported to have informed Ajay.

He went on to say that his brother, who had completed his studies up till Class X, had traveled to Russia in January 2024 after an agent had "confirmed" that Ravi had secured a job in transportation there. He stated that the family had sold their one-acre plot of land in Haryana for Rs 11.5 lakh to cover the cost of the trip.

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"Ravi left on January 13 of this year, and five other village boys later left for Russia. They remain there, Ajay continued.

The event occurred a few days after Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached a broad agreement to stop hiring Indians to serve as Russian military support staff. Putin even consented to the discharge of all Indians employed by the Russian army for Modi's visit to Russia.

Ajay also stated that his brother was threatened with "ten years imprisonment" if he denied participation in the Russian conflict, and that his family had also seen pictures of Ravi in Russian army uniform. At this point, Ravi's family has asked PM Modi to assist them because they "do not have enough money" to transport their son's body to Haryana.

"If he (Moun) knew he would have to fight, he would not have gone...why would he go where death could be waiting?" Sonu Mator, Ravi's cousin, was quoted by Reuters as stating that the family required assistance from the government in order to retrieve the body. "We do not have the money to arrange for it ourselves," Mator stated.

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