Gujarat student captured in Ukraine warns against joining Russian army, seeks government help

Indian Student Captured In Ukraine Warns Against Joining Russian Army, Seeks Help From Govt

A student from Gujarat who travelled to Russia on a student visa has appealed to Indians to avoid joining the Russian military, claiming he was coerced into service after being falsely implicated in a drugs case.

Sahil Mohammad Hussain, a resident of Morbi district, shared his account through video messages released by Ukrainian authorities after he was captured by Ukrainian forces. Hussain said he went to Russia in 2024 to pursue higher studies and was working part-time for a courier company to support himself.

According to Hussain, his troubles began after Russian police allegedly framed him in a narcotics case. He claimed officials offered to drop the charges if he agreed to enlist in the Russian Army.

“They told me the case would be dropped if I joined the Russian Army,” he said.

Facing the prospect of imprisonment, Hussain said he accepted the offer to avoid jail. He added that he was given around 15 days of training before being deployed to the frontline in Ukraine.

“The first thing I did when I reached the frontline was surrender to the Ukrainian Army,” he said.

In one of the videos recorded after his capture, Hussain sought help from the Indian government for his safe return. “President Vladimir Putin was in India recently. I would like to request the government to speak to Putin for my safe return home," he said.

Hussain also described the fear and uncertainty he faced, warning other young Indians against travelling to Russia under similar circumstances. “I feel hopeless. I don’t know what will happen. But I do have a message for young people who are coming to Russia, ‘be careful’. There are many scamsters here who can falsely implicate you in a drug case," he said.

In another video, he said financial and visa issues led him to come into contact with individuals allegedly involved in narcotics. “I came to Russia for studies in 2024. But due to financial and visa issues, I came in touch with some Russians who turned out to be in narcotics… I have not done anything. At least 700 people were jailed by Russia on drugs charges. But the jail authorities gave them a choice of getting the charges dropped by joining the Russian military," he said.

Following his surrender, Ukrainian forces contacted Hussain’s mother in Gujarat and urged her to spread awareness about Indians being misled into military service. She has since filed a petition in a Delhi court seeking her son’s safe return. The matter is scheduled to be heard again in February.

Meanwhile, the Indian government has said it is actively working to bring back Indian nationals who have joined the Russian armed forces. On December 5, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the issue was raised during talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“Our concerted efforts continue on a regular basis to secure the early release of Indian citizens from the Russian Army," Misri said, while urging Indians to exercise extreme caution about accepting such offers.

Families of several Indians stranded in Russia have also held protests in recent months, demanding government intervention to bring their relatives home safely.