Andhra Pradesh cautions unemployed youth against fraudulent agents promising jobs in Russia

Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh government on Wednesday cautioned youth against fraudulent agents and private training institutes that lure them with promises of overseas employment and then push them into military service in Russia.

“The State government has urged young people to beware of fraudulent agents and unauthorised training institutes offering overseas employment, warning that some are luring them with job promises and subsequently forcing them into military service in Russia,” a press release said.

The release cited the case of J Vamsi, a man from Visakhapatnam who travelled to Russia expecting employment in fruit packing but allegedly found no work after reaching there.

He subsequently came into contact with a Nepali national, who allegedly promised him better-paying employment in Ukraine and facilitated his recruitment into the Russian Army.

In a video message, Vamsi and four other Indians claimed they were lured into joining the Russian Army with promises of food-packing jobs and were being sent to frontline areas along the Russia-Ukraine border.

They claimed they were made to sign documents written in Russian without understanding their contents and were later told they had acquired Russian citizenship. The men appealed to the Indian government to secure their safe return.

Information had been received that some private training institutes and illegal agents, particularly those targeting youth from the North Andhra region, were sending them abroad on the pretext of offering jobs, higher salaries and better employment opportunities, the release said.

Several instances had come to light where youth were lured with promises of overseas employment and, after being sent to Russia, pressured into joining the military, the government said.

Some were reportedly attracted by promises of high salaries, while others were allegedly trapped in false cases and forced to participate in military activities.

Such developments were putting the lives of young people at risk and causing severe mental distress to their families, it added.

Students, unemployed youth and others seeking employment abroad were advised to remain vigilant against attractive overseas job advertisements, promises of high salaries, easy recruitment procedures and assurances of sending candidates abroad within a short period.

The government cautioned against seeking overseas employment through unrecognised and unauthorised training institutes or agents.

It advised candidates to verify employment contracts, visa details, the nature of work, and the credibility and legality of recruiting organisations through the relevant official agencies before travelling abroad.

Youth were urged to report suspicious job offers, agents and organisations to the concerned government authorities and police.

The government advised young people not to take hasty decisions regarding overseas employment and to proceed only after thorough inquiry and verification.