Thrissur: Jain Kurian (27), who was forced to join the Russian army after falling victim to a fake job recruitment racket, returned to Kerala on Thursday. Addressing the media at his residence in Wadakkanchery on Friday, he said he never thought he would make it back home.

"Many people helped me return home. I want to thank everyone. I never thought I would be able to come back. The Malayali association helped arrange my return flight to Kerala. I was supposed to report back to the army camp after being discharged from the hospital, but the intervention of the Malayali association enabled me to go directly to the airport and come home," said Jain.

He said he was assigned to supply food to Russian military personnel deployed at various locations.

Jain arrived in Delhi on Wednesday and reached Nedumbassery Airport by noon on Thursday. By around 3 pm, he was welcomed at his home in Kuranchery by family members and political leaders, including Wadakkanchery MLA Xavier Chittilappilly.

Jain expressed relief at being able to return and revealed that two others who were with him were killed in an attack. He ended up in the Russian mercenary force after falling victim to a job scam. He said that after just ten days of training in the army, he was taken to the Ukraine border.

Two others who were scammed along with him—Sandeep and his relative Binil—were killed in the war. Jain was injured in a drone attack and admitted to a hospital. The explosion caused internal bleeding after the drone struck his abdomen, and he had to undergo two surgeries. Despite his injuries, the Russian military ordered him to return to the warfront once his health improved. However, with the end of his one-year contract with the army, the Malayali Association intervened and facilitated his return to Delhi. During his hospital stay, staff from the Indian Embassy and members of the Malayali Association supported him.

Jain stated that around 18 Indians are still part of the Russian mercenary force.

He also said that he, along with others, arrived in Russia on April 14, 2024. The body of Binil, a native of Kuttanellur in Thrissur who died in the war, still remains in an unknown location in Russia.