Captured 22-year-old from Gujarat fighting for Russia, says Ukraine Army, releases video

According to a statement released by 63rd Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Army, Majoti Sahil Mohamed Hussein, a student from Gujarat’s Morbi, had gone to Russia to study at a university there.

The Ukrainian Army released a purported video clip of Hussein in which he says he was sentenced to seven years in a Russian prison on drug-related charges. Speaking in Russian, he says he was offered the opportunity to sign a contract with the Russian military to avoid further punishment. “I didn’t want to stay in prison, so I signed a contract for the special military operation (Russia’s term for its invasion of Ukraine). But I wanted to get out of there,” he says.

According to the video, on October 1, after 16 days of training, Hussein was sent on his first combat mission, where he spent three days. After a conflict with his commander, he surrendered to Ukrainian troops of the 63rd Mechanized Brigade, he says.

“I came across a Ukrainian trench position about 2-3 kilometres away,” he says. “I immediately put down my rifle and said that I didn’t want to fight. I needed help… I don’t want to go back to Russia. There is no truth there, nothing. I’d rather go to prison here (in Ukraine),” he says.

Hussein also claims that although he was promised financial compensation for joining the Russian Army, but he never received it.

Earlier, there have been reports of nationals from third-party countries, including India, being lured to Russia with promises of lucrative jobs or other opportunities, only to be forced into enlisting in the Army there. In January this year, the government had put the count of such Indians at 126. Of these, 96 people had returned to India, at least 12 had been killed and 16 were missing, it had said.

On September 26, responding to a question about Indian nationals who were still in the Russian armed forces, the Ministry of External Affairs’ official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said: “Recently, we learnt that some additional Indian citizens have been recruited into the Russian military — this information came to us through their family members. We have taken up the matter vigorously with our mission in Russia and with the authorities in Moscow, urging that our nationals be released and brought back at the earliest. There are roughly 27 Indians involved who were recently enrolled in the Russian forces, and we are working to get them out.”

“At the same time, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that we have previously issued advisories warning people to avoid such enticements that lead them there. Once again, through you and your platforms, I want to stress that people should be aware of the dangers involved in joining the Russian armed forces and should avoid the kinds of temptations or employment opportunities that are being offered there,” he had said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also raised the issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin in October last year, when they met in Kazan on the sidelines of the BRICS summit.

Meanwhile, Modi called up Putin to wish him on his birthday on Tuesday. “Spoke with my friend President Putin and conveyed warm birthday greetings and best wishes for his good health and long life. Deeply appreciate his personal commitment to deepening India-Russia ties over the years,” Modi said on X.

This was the fourth phone call between the two leaders since early August. Putin had also called up Modi on September 17 to greet him on his birthday.

“The two leaders reviewed the progress in the bilateral agenda, and reaffirmed their commitment to further deepen the special and privileged strategic partnership between India and Russia,” the Indian readout said. It said Modi conveyed that he looked forward to welcoming Putin to India for the 23rd India-Russia annual summit. Putin is expected to visit India around December 5. In July last year, Modi travelled to Moscow for the annual summit.