Hit by a slowdown in the Surat diamond industry, 39-year-old Ramnik Sakhwala moved to Russia in 2025 for better job prospects, probably unaware of the unexpected turn his life would take and landed a non-combatant role in the Russian Army.
“Instead, he was assured that his responsibilities would involve supplying food to personnel in the war zone. Mahesh claimed that after Ramnik went untraceable, the family approached the Ministry of External Affairs in Delhi. “We asked them whether he was alive.
More than four months after Ramnik joined the Russian military in June 2026, his whereabouts remain unknown, while his family in Surat, including his wife and a 16-year-old son, is waiting desperately for an update and renewing their appeal seeking the help of the government and the Indian embassy. Ramnik joined the Russian Army in early June 2026 and informed his family that he would not be deployed on the frontline, his brother said. Ramnik’s 16-year-old son, who is studying in Class 11, has also been actively trying to trace his father by writing emails and letters in English, Mahesh said. The family claimed they submitted a letter to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) 20 days ago, but have not received a response.
Ramnik told us he would not have to fight or undertake any risky work. His only responsibility was to supply food,” Mahesh said. “However, officials informed us that since Ramnik had obtained a Russian passport, they would need to approach the Russian Federation for further assistance,” Mahesh said. They said it was possible, but they could not provide any information at the moment. They also told us that getting a response could take months or even a year,” he said.
