Who is Faisal Khan aka 'Baba Vlogs' Indian YouTuber Accused of Luring Indians Into Russian Army?

Amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, reports started swirling that dozens of Indians were duped into joining the Russian army. Not only this, two Indians even died on the battlefield after they joined the forces with hopes of a lucrative livelihood. In the midst of all the chaos, a YouTuber named Faisal Abdul Mutallib Khan and his role in tricking people to join the Russian army has come time light. The YouTuber who goes by the name “Baba Vlogs” on YouTube runs a recruitment agency. As per the media reports, Khan lured many Indians to Russia, promising them lucrative jobs in non-combat roles in the Russian army. However, many of them eventually realised that what they were signing up for was not a “helper” job but fighting in the full-scale Russia-Ukraine war. 

In one of the videos Khan posted in 2023, he promised his viewers that someone who enrols themselves as a “helper” in the Russian army will not only get hefty money but will also receive a government card which will help them get a permanent residency. In the video, he also claimed that possessing this card would allow people to apply for Schengen visas and suggested that the Russian government acknowledges the contributions of those assisting their country during the challenging times.

According to media reports, Mohammed Afsan who died fighting on the frontline, allegedly connected with Khan after watching his YouTube video. Like Afsan, Khan allegedly led numerous Indians to the Russian frontlines, promising unique opportunities.

Who is Faisal Khan?

Khan runs a consultancy firm that claims to provide Indias with job opportunities around the world. He is a resident of Mumbai's Dadar and went to Dubai in 2008. He has a YouTube Channel with 305K subscribers. “Hello Bantai, this is Baba here with his vlogs to give you a dose of some fun, entertainment, information and suggestions. I am from Aamchi Mumbai, love to Vlog and share first-hand experiences of life that I live. I am a diehard fan of travelling, sharing stories, meeting new people and helping out people via my vlog,” reads the description of his YouTube Channel. 

Khan claims to be a victim himself

Khan told Indian news outlets that he sent 35 people to Russia and was told by the handlers in Moscow they would not be deployed on the front lines. He went on to call himself “the victim” of the whole incident. He insisted that he did not pull any video down since he knew that he was not guilty. 

India continues to monitor the situation

Last month, the Ministry of External Affairs said that the Indian Embassy in Moscow is thoroughly monitoring the situation. “Each and every such case brought to the attention of the Indian Embassy in Moscow has been strongly taken up with Russian authorities and those brought to the attention of the Ministry have been taken up with the Russian Embassy in New Delhi. Several Indians have already been discharged as a result,” the ministry said in a statement. “We remain committed, as a matter of top priority, to actively pursuing with the Russian authorities all the relevant cases of Indian nationals for an early discharge from the Russian army,” the ministry furthered.