NEW DELHI, Oct 8 — A 22-year-old Indian student from Gujarat has reportedly been captured by Ukrainian forces while allegedly fighting alongside the Russian military, Ukrainian media reported on Tuesday. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it is verifying the authenticity of the claims and has not yet received official communication from Kyiv.
According to The Kyiv Independent, the detained individual has been identified as Majoti Sahil Mohamed Hussein, a resident of Morbi district in Gujarat. The outlet reported that Hussein had initially travelled to Russia to pursue higher studies but was later enlisted into the Russian army.
In a video released by Ukraine’s 63rd Mechanised Brigade, Hussein said he had been serving a seven-year sentence in a Russian prison for drug-related offences before being offered the chance to join the military. He claimed he accepted the offer as an alternative to completing his prison term.
“I was given 16 days of military training and then sent to the front lines on October 1,” Hussein said in the video. “After three days of fighting and a disagreement with my commander, I decided to surrender. I saw a Ukrainian trench about two to three kilometres away, dropped my weapon, and told them I didn’t want to fight.”
He also alleged that he had been promised money for his service in the Russian army but never received any payment. “I don’t want to go back to Russia. There is no truth there, nothing. I’d rather stay in prison here (in Ukraine),” he added.
Responding to the reports, an MEA spokesperson told NDTV: “We are ascertaining the veracity of the report. We have not yet received any formal communication from the Ukrainian side in this regard.”
The case adds to a growing list of Indian nationals caught up in Russia’s war in Ukraine. Earlier this year, the Indian government said at least 12 Indians had died while fighting for the Russian army, and 16 others remained unaccounted for.
New Delhi has since raised the issue with Moscow, urging the early release and safe return of Indian citizens who were recruited or coerced into joining combat operations.
Officials said the government continues to caution Indian citizens against taking up employment or contracts that could draw them into conflict zones. “We are in touch with both Russian and Ukrainian authorities to ensure the safety and repatriation of our nationals wherever possible,” an official noted.
