<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ukrainian forces have captured an Indian national who claims he was coerced into fighting for Russia after being released from prison on the promise of freedom and money.&nbsp;</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The man has been identified as Majoti Sahil Mohamed Hussein, a 22-year-old student from Morbi in Gujarat, who had travelled to Russia to pursue higher education.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">According to Ukraine&rsquo;s 63rd Separate Mechanised Brigade, Hussein was taken prisoner while serving with Russia&rsquo;s 3rd Army Corps. The brigade released a video interview showing Hussein speaking about his ordeal.&nbsp;</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">He stated that he had been sentenced to seven years in a Russian prison on drug-related charges before being offered the chance to join the military to avoid serving his sentence.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Hussein said he received just 16 days of basic training in September, which included instruction in rifle use, grenade handling, and shooting. &ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t want to stay in prison, so I signed a contract for the &lsquo;special military operation&rsquo;,&rdquo; he said, referring to Russia&rsquo;s term for its invasion of Ukraine. &ldquo;But I wanted to get out of there.&rdquo;</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">He recounted that during his first combat mission on October 1, he spent three days at the front line before surrendering to Ukrainian troops following a dispute with his commander. &ldquo;I came across a Ukrainian trench about two to three kilometres away,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">&ldquo;I immediately put down my rifle and told them I didn&rsquo;t want to fight and needed help,&rdquo; Hussein added that although he had been promised money for joining the Russian army, he never received any payment.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The student said he has no intention of returning to Russia. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t want to go back,&rdquo; he stated in the video shared by Ukrainian forces.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in India has previously warned citizens against accepting any offers to enlist in the Russian army.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Reports indicate that Russia has been recruiting foreigners, including Indians, by luring them with promises of jobs or educational opportunities. The MEA confirmed earlier this year that 12 Indians had been killed fighting for Russia in Ukraine, while 16 others remain unaccounted for.&nbsp;</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Out of 126 known cases of Indian citizens joining the Russian army, 96 have since returned home.</span></div>

Gujarat student says Russia freed him from jail and forced him to fight in Ukraine war

Indian Man Captured Fighting for Russia in Ukraine

Gujarat student says Russia freed him from jail and forced him to fight in Ukraine war

October 8, 2025 | 16:16 IST