Tamil Nadu Student Takes Up Arms to Join Ukraine Forces Amid Russian Offensive, Intel Agencies Begin Probe
The central and state intelligence agencies are investigating the involvement of a student from Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore in the Ukrainian paramilitary forces after officials revealed that the 21-year-old has joined the paramilitary forces to fight against Russian invasion.
As Indian students fled Ukraine due to the war, Sainikesh Ravichandran, a native of Coimbatore, stayed back in the ravaged country to join the Ukrainian army. During investigation, it was found that Sainikesh went to Ukraine in 2018 to purse Aeronautics at the National Aerospace University in Kharkiv. He was about to complete his studies this year.
Furthermore, an investigation by Indian intelligence agencies has also revealed that Sainikesh has joined the Georgian National Legion, a paramilitary unit in Ukraine, amid the war. Apparently, he wanted to join the military but was not enlisted in the Indian Army because of his height.
Meanwhile, intelligence officials investigating Sainikesh visited and conducted a search at his residence in Thudiyalur Subramaniampalayam area in Coimbatore. They discovered that Sainikesh had applied to join the Indian Army but was rejected. Eventually, they saw a number of photographs of soldiers at his home.
