A 22-year-old Indian national has reportedly been captured by Ukrainian forces while allegedly fighting for the Russian army. The Indian government has not confirmed the reports and said that it is working to verify the details of the incident.
Indian Man Reportedly Captured in Ukraine
According to Ukrainian media reports, the Indian man has been identified as Majoti Sahil Mohamed Hussein, a 22-year-old resident of Morbi in Gujarat. He was allegedly serving with the Russian military when he was captured by Ukrainian forces.
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Sources in India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) told NDTV that they are verifying the authenticity of the reports.
“We are ascertaining the veracity of the report. We have not yet received any formal communication from the Ukrainian side in this regard,” an MEA source said.
The Kyiv Independent Report on Hussein’s Capture
A report by The Kyiv Independent stated that Hussein had initially gone to Russia to pursue higher studies at a university. However, after some time, he was allegedly recruited by the Russian army to fight against Ukraine in the ongoing war.
Ukrainian forces from the 63rd Mechanised Brigade released a video showing Hussein after his capture. In the video, he can be heard describing how he ended up joining the Russian army and later being captured during combat.
Claims of Prison Sentence and Forced Recruitment
In the video, Hussein claimed that he had been sentenced to seven years in a Russian prison on drug-related charges. While serving his sentence, he was offered a deal — to sign a contract with the Russian army and fight in the war in exchange for avoiding further punishment.
“I didn’t want to stay in prison, so I signed a contract for the ‘special military operation,’” he said, referring to Russia’s term for its invasion of Ukraine. “But I wanted to get out of there.”
Sent to the Battlefield After Minimal Training
Hussein also said that he received only 16 days of military training before being deployed to the battlefield. He claimed that on October 1, he was sent on his first combat mission. For three days, he fought alongside Russian forces before deciding to surrender to Ukrainian troops.
He explained how he gave himself up:
Promises of Money and Jobs for Foreign Recruits
The news comes amid several reports suggesting that Russia has been recruiting foreign nationals, including Indians and North Koreans, by offering them lucrative jobs, residence permits, or financial incentives. Many of these promises, however, were reportedly false.
Hussein claimed he, too, was promised financial compensation for joining the Russian military, but he never received any money.
Previous Cases of Indians Trapped in the Russia-Ukraine War
This is not the first time Indian nationals have been reported fighting in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Earlier this year, the Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that 12 Indian nationals had died while fighting for the Russian army. These individuals were among 126 Indians who had been misled into going to Russia with promises of high-paying jobs or education opportunities.
At the time, the MEA said that 16 other Indians were missing in the war zone. Following these incidents, the Indian government took up the issue “strongly” with Moscow and demanded the early discharge and safe return of all Indians trapped in the conflict.
India’s Diplomatic Efforts and Warning to Citizens
The government has also been working with Indian embassies in Moscow and Kyiv to identify and assist any Indian nationals caught in the war or detained in the two countries.
India has been maintaining diplomatic communication with both Russia and Ukraine amid the ongoing war. The MEA has repeatedly advised Indian citizens not to fall for fake job offers that may lead them into conflict zones.
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The reported capture of an Indian citizen fighting for Russia has once again raised concerns about foreign nationals being lured into the war under false promises. While Ukraine claims to have detained the young man, India has yet to receive any formal confirmation.
As the Ministry of External Affairs continues to verify the incident, this case highlights the urgent need for Indian citizens to exercise caution when accepting overseas job offers, particularly in countries involved in military conflicts.
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