Thrissur native Binil Babu, 32, reportedly went missing in the Russia-Ukraine warzone in January 2025.
Credit: Special arrangement
Thiruvananthapuram: As the talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi progresses in Delhi, a family in Kerala has more reasons to pin hopes on the strengthening India - Russia relationship as they are yet to receive a conclusive status on a family member missing in Russia for nearly one year.
Thrissur native Binil Babu, 32, reportedly went missing in the Russia-Ukraine warzone in January. Even as he was feared to be killed, the family is yet to get any conclusive report in this regard.
"The last information that we received from the embassy is that Binil is missing. Over the last few months there is no further update," Binil's wife Joicy told DH.
The family is pinning hopes that the strengthening India - Russia relationship could help in getting a better attention to their woes.
The continuing uncertainty is not just causing mental trauma to the family, but technical issues too. Joicy was asked by the authorities concerned to produce Binil's death certificate to prove his current status when she wanted to make a correction in their child's name in official documents.
Binil's relative Jain Kurian, who had also accompanied him to Russia, could return in April after suffering serious injuries in the war zone.
Binil and Jain were among the scores of Indians who were illegally recruited to serve for the Russian mercenary and participate in the war against Ukraine without any training. They were cheated by recruiting agents who took them by offering other jobs.
According to Jain, they were taken to the war zone in January and he had later spotted Binil's body on the war field. The Indian embassy officials too initially informed that Binil was dead and also collected DNA samples of his father for confirmation. Later the embassy officials informed, quoting Russian authorities, that Binil is 'missing'.
The family had taken up the issue through various sources including union minister of state for tourism Suresh Gopi, who is Thrissur's MP.