Russia-Ukraine War: An Indian student from Gujarat has appealed to fellow Indians not to join the Russian military, alleging that he was coerced into service after being falsely implicated in a drugs case in Russia, according to a report. Sahil Mohammad Hussain, a resident of Morbi in Gujarat, travelled to Russia on a student visa to pursue higher studies. In a video message recorded in Ukraine and shared by Ukrainian authorities, Hussain said he was blackmailed by Russian officials into joining the Russian army and was later captured by Ukrainian forces.
Alleges Russian Army Framed Him In Narcotics Case
According to Hussain, he was working part-time for a courier company while studying in Russia when Russian police allegedly framed him in a narcotics case.
“They told me the case would be dropped if I joined the Russian Army,” he said in the video.
In another message, Hussain said he arrived in Russia in 2024 but soon encountered financial difficulties and visa-related problems. During this period, he claimed he came into contact with certain Russian nationals who were involved in narcotics.
“I came in touch with some Russians who turned out to be in narcotics. I have not done anything,” he said, maintaining that he was innocent.
Hussain said he agreed to join the military to escape the charges levelled against him.
Sent to Ukraine Frontline After Brief Training
Hussain said he underwent about 15 days of military 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.
He also claimed that his case was not isolated. According to Hussain, at least 700 people had been jailed in Russia on drug-related charges and were later offered the option of having their cases dropped if they agreed to join the military.
Ukrainian Forces Contact Family in Gujarat
Following his capture, the Ukrainian military shared Hussain’s video messages with his mother in Gujarat and asked her to raise awareness about Indians allegedly being deceived into military service.
His mother has since filed a petition in a Delhi court seeking her son’s safe return to India. The matter is scheduled to come up for its next hearing in February.
Emotional Appeal and Warning to Indian Youth
Expressing despair over his situation, Hussain said, “I feel hopeless. I don’t know what will happen.” He issued a warning, “Be careful. There are many scamsters here who can falsely implicate you in a drug case.”
He also appealed directly to the Indian government for assistance.
“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, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene.
Indian Government Response
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on December 5 that India was actively working to secure the release of Indian citizens who had joined the Russian armed forces, while also cautioning people against accepting such offers.
“At the state visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin, this issue of the recruitment of Indian citizens into the Russian armed forces was broached by Prime Minister Modi,” Misri said.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
