"Didn't Want To Stay In Jail": How Indian Man Ended Up Fighting For Russia

Majoti Sahil Mohamed Hussein, a 22-year-old Indian student from Gujarat's Morbi, who had gone to Russia to study at a university, has been captured by Ukrainian forces after being sent by Russia to fight in its ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Sahil told Ukrainian troops that he was facing seven years in prison in Russia for a drug case and had joined the Russian military to avoid imprisonment. 

Following his capture, his family has appealed to the Indian government for his safe return.

In a video released by Ukraine's 63rd Mechanised Brigade, Sahil spoke in the local language, saying, "I was a student at the university and they sent me to jail for drug use. They gave me seven years in prison, but I didn't want it. I didn't want to stay in prison, so I signed a contract for the 'special military operation' (Russia's term for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine). But I wanted to get out of there."

#BREAKING: Ukraine claim they have captured an Indian National along with Russian Forces. Indian national Majoti Sahil Mohamed Hussein is a 22-year-old student from Morbi, Gujarat, India who had gone to Russia to study at a university. Indian Govt is ascertaining details. pic.twitter.com/FtmsryGN1S

— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) October 7, 2025

"I came across a Ukrainian trench position about 2-3 kilometres (1-2 miles) away... I immediately put down my rifle and said that I didn't want to fight. I needed help," he said.

Sahil claimed he was promised financial compensation for joining the Russian army, which he never received. "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 said.

Sahil's family has now appealed to the Indian government for his safe return. 

His uncle, Abdul Ibrahim, while speaking with the reporters, said, "He went there (Russia) to study and get a job. We came to know through the media that he has been stuck there (Ukraine). We appeal to the government to bring him back."

Community leader Kasam Sumrani said that Sahil revealed that he had gone to Russia to pursue his studies but was falsely implicated in a drug case. He further said the authorities sentenced him to seven years in prison, prompting him to take up an offer to join the Russian military in order to avoid serving the jail term.

Speaking with the reporters, Kasam Sumrani said, "We saw a tweet on social media of an interview of Sahil by the Ukrainian military or the Ukrainian government. We saw that Sahil, in the local language, put forward his views and said that he went to Russia for study but the government created a drug case on him and gave him seven years of prison."

He further said, "He (Sahil) said that he was given an offer to evade the punishment by joining the Russian military and fighting against Ukraine. Sahil said that he had two options; either to fight against Ukraine or spend seven years in jail. He chose to fight against Ukraine. On the battlefield, Sahil surrendered to the Ukrainian military and said 'save me from Russia. Russia filed a case against me fraudulently. I have been trapped and I don't want to fight.'"

Notably, Indian authorities have not confirmed the detention of Sahil and said they were working to verify Ukrainian media reports.

"We are ascertaining the veracity of the report. We have not yet received any formal communication from the Ukrainian side in this regard," sources in the Ministry of External Affairs told NDTV.

In January, the Ministry of External Affairs said that 12 Indian nationals, among a total of 126 who were misled into settling in Russia, died fighting for the Russian Army in Ukraine. At the time, the ministry said sixteen others were "missing" at the time. 

India has maintained a neutral stance on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war by refusing to take sides, opting out of joining international sanctions against Moscow and calling for a peaceful resolution.