Kyrgyzstan has sent a diplomatic note to Russia requesting assistance in ensuring the swift return home of citizen Elistan Toktogulov, who was deceived into joining a Russian military unit.

The Kyrgyz Embassy in Russia submitted the note to the Russian Foreign Ministry, asking it to facilitate Toktogulov’s return and investigate the circumstances surrounding his recruitment, 24.kg reports.

The move follows media reports that the Kyrgyz national may have ended up in a Russian military unit as a result of fraudulent actions by unidentified individuals.

The embassy has also contacted the relevant Russian authorities, requesting an investigation, the identification of those responsible and that they be held accountable.

The Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry said diplomats remain in regular contact with Toktogulov’s relatives and that the case is under the ministry’s supervision. Efforts to provide the necessary assistance are ongoing.

The ministry also urged Kyrgyz citizens to carefully review employment contracts and other documents before signing them, paying particular attention to their obligations and potential legal consequences.

On November 4, relatives of 21-year-old Toktogulov appealed to the authorities for help in bringing him home.

His brother, Bayastan Kushtarbek uulu, said that the young man had found a job advertisement on Instagram offering employment in Russia as a loader, security guard or auto mechanic, with a promised monthly salary of 105,000 to 110,000 rubles.

However, his relatives claim that after arriving in Russia, he was deceived and threatened with being sent to fight in the war in Ukraine.