Bilasuvar: New facts have emerged about Azerbaijani citizens working in Russia being forcibly sent to the ongoing war in Ukraine, APA reports. Azerbaijani citizen Tahir Rufullayev, born in 1980, was forcibly sent by the Russian side to the war in Ukraine in January of this year.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, Tahir Rufullayev's mother, Sonabayim Farziyeva, revealed that her son secretly called her on January 15 this year, informing her that he was being taken by Russia to the war in Ukraine. She shared that her son went to Russia to work two years ago to improve their financial situation and repair the roof of their house. Despite working as a car mechanic in Bilasuvar, Tahir moved to Voronezh, Russia, about two years ago to seek better opportunities.
Sonabayim explained that her son intended to work in Russia for a short period, but his stay extended due to expired documents and language barriers. Consequently, he lived in Russia without proper documentation for about two years. She further detailed that Tahir was detained by Russian police and faced a grim choice: join the war with the Russian army or face a 20-25 year imprisonment. His mother claims police officers threatened him with drug-related charges to coerce him into compliance.
Tahir allegedly informed his mother that Azerbaijani detainees were subjected to physical pressure and torture, with police receiving monetary incentives for each detained Azerbaijani. Held for about three months, Tahir was eventually forced into the war through coercion and torture. Sonabayim mentioned that the first court hearing, initially scheduled for December 22, 2025, was canceled. The second hearing was set for January 24, 2026, but by then, Tahir had already been sent to the war.
Sonabayim expressed her distress, noting that her last contact with her son was in mid-month when he made a brief video call using a driver's phone. Unable to speak, he gestured to indicate he was under duress. Since then, she has received no updates about his whereabouts. Desperate for assistance, Sonabayim appeals to the state for help, emphasizing that her son is an Azerbaijani citizen with a family in the Bilasuvar district.
Reports continue to circulate about migrants, including Azerbaijani citizens, being involuntarily sent to the war in Ukraine. The APA recently highlighted that 20 Azerbaijani citizens had been involved in the conflict. Moscow is accused of illegally deploying citizens from various countries to the war through coercion, deception, and threats, often without any military preparation. Many Azerbaijani citizens are reported to have been killed or gone missing after being forcibly drawn into the Russia-Ukraine conflict, with Russia exploiting their vulnerable situations.