Thu Jan 30 18:29:37 UTC 2025: ## Kerala Men Lured to Ukraine War Front, One Killed, Another Critically Injured

**Moscow/ Thrissur, January 30, 2025** – Two Keralite men, Binil Babu and Jain Kurian, who were lured to Russia with promises of lucrative electrician jobs, were instead forcibly enlisted into the Russian army and sent to the Ukraine war front. Babu was killed in action, while Kurian suffered critical injuries in a drone attack. Their families are now fighting to bring Babu’s body home and secure Kurian’s release.

Babu, 32, and Kurian, 27, travelled to Moscow in April 2024 after a relative, P.O. Sibi, offered them employment. Sibi, along with two others, Sandeep Thomas and Sumesh C. Antony, have been arrested by Thrissur police on charges of human trafficking, fraud, and unlawful compulsory labor. The accused allegedly confiscated the men’s passports, replaced them with Russian ones, and forced them into military service. Each victim paid ₹1.40 lakh for the promised jobs.

The families allege the men were initially given menial tasks but were later sent to the front lines in Russian-occupied Ukraine. Babu’s death was confirmed three weeks ago, leaving his five-month-old son and wife, Joicy, devastated. They are still awaiting the return of his body. Kurian, meanwhile, is recovering in a hospital in critical condition, unable to communicate effectively due to language barriers and injuries sustained from a shell blast.

The families’ pleas for help have been largely unsuccessful until now. Although Union Minister of State Suresh Gopi stated that the Indian government is working through diplomatic channels to secure Kurian’s release and Babu’s body, the families remain desperate and highlight a broader pattern of exploitation.

This case has brought to light the alarming trend of illegal recruitment targeting Keralite youth. Many are lured by promises of high-paying jobs in Russia, only to find themselves trapped in dangerous situations. The All Moscow Malayalees Association confirmed a significant increase in Keralite members in 2024, many drawn by promises of military jobs offering salaries up to ₹3 lakh a month. The association is actively assisting the Indian embassy in Moscow in identifying and reporting such illegal recruitment rings operating both in Russia and India. The incident serves as a grim warning against the dangers of such exploitative practices.

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