Ukrainian forces have captured a 22-year-old Indian man identified as Majoti Sahil Mohamed Hussein, who allegedly fought with Russian units near the southern front in early October.
In a video released by Ukraine’s 63rd Mechanized Brigade on Oct. 7, Hussein says he surrendered after three days of combat and was taken into custody near Mykolaiv. Ukrainian officials said the footage was recorded shortly after his detention.
Russian prison to the front lines
In the video, Hussein claims he was arrested in Russia on drug-related charges and sentenced to seven years in prison before being offered a deal to enlist with the Russian army. He says he underwent roughly 16 days of basic training and was deployed to the front on Oct. 1, marking his first combat assignment. According to his account, he became separated from his unit after a dispute with a Russian commander and walked several kilometers before encountering a Ukrainian trench line.
“I immediately put down my rifle and said that I didn’t want to fight. I needed help,” Hussein says in the recording, which shows him wearing a Russian military uniform and speaking in English.
Pattern of coerced recruitment
India’s Ministry of External Affairs said it is working to confirm Hussein’s identity and the authenticity of the video, though officials have not yet received direct communication from Ukrainian authorities.
His case follows several similar incidents in which Indian nationals were recruited or coerced into joining Russian forces, often through job agents promising employment in Europe. Last year, Indian police arrested four men accused of operating such a network after multiple families reported that their relatives were sent to the front without consent or pay.
This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter — a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices.
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