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An Indian national serving with the Russian military has surrendered to Ukrainian forces. The Ukrainian Army’s 63rd Mechanised Brigade released a video showing the Indian man identifying himself as Majoti Sahil Mohamed Hussein, a 22-year-old from Gujarat.

The video was shared on the brigade’s official Telegram channel on Tuesday. As per reports from PTI, Hussein appeared in uniform while confirming his identity and nationality in front of the camera. The video also showed him explaining how he became part of the Russian Army amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Indian Embassy in Kyiv Verifying the Report

Indian officials have not yet issued a statement on the matter. Official sources said that the Indian Embassy in Kyiv is currently verifying the authenticity of the video and details to the incident.

Authorities confirmed that no formal communication has yet been received from Ukrainian officials regarding Hussein’s surrender. The government has directed the embassy to coordinate with Ukrainian authorities and gather more information. The Ministry of External Affairs is also expected to issue a detailed response once the verification process concludes.

From Student to Soldier: Hussein’s Journey to Russia

According to The Kyiv Independent, Hussein went to Russia to pursue university studies. In the video released by Ukrainian forces, he said that he was sentenced to seven years in a Russian prison on drug- charges. He added that Russian officials later gave him an option to join the military instead of serving the prison sentence. “I didn’t want to stay in prison, so I signed a contract for the special military operation,” Hussein said. He further mentioned that he received only 16 days of training before being sent to the battlefield.

Hussein said that he surrendered after a dispute with his commander during an operation. “I came across a Ukrainian trench position about two to three kilometres away. 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,” he said in the video. The Ukrainian brigade stated that Hussein had joined the Russian army “to avoid imprisonment” after being caught with drugs. The Ukrainian Army confirmed that he is now under their custody and is being treated as a prisoner of war under international norms.

India Seeks Release of Nationals in Russian Army

Last month, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) urged Russia to release and repatriate 27 Indian nationals currently serving with the Russian military.

Reports suggested that several Indians holding student and business visas were coerced into joining Russian units deployed on the frontlines of the conflict in Ukraine.

The Indian government continues to press for the safe return of all citizens recruited into combat roles or support positions such as cooks and helpers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also raised this issue during his visit to Moscow last year.

According to official data, more than 150 Indian nationals have been recruited by the Russian army since the conflict began. Among them, 12 have been killed in action, and 96 have been released and sent back to India. However, 16 remain missing, with no official confirmation of their whereabouts. The MEA has reiterated that India does not support the involvement of its citizens in any foreign military conflict and continues to work with Russian authorities to ensure the safe release of those still in service.

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The post ‘To Avoid Staying In Prison, I Signed…’: Gujarat Man Working In Russian Army, Surrenders In Ukraine, Here Why appeared first on NewsX.