Gujarat student claims he was forced into Russian army, sends SOS video from Ukraine

A student from Gujarat has issued a video appeal urging Indian youth not to join the Russian military, claiming he was coerced into service after being falsely implicated in a drug case while studying in Russia.

The student, Sahil Mohammad Hussain from Morbi district, said he had travelled to Russia on a student visa in 2024. In a video recorded in Ukraine and shared by Ukrainian authorities, he claimed Russian police framed him in a narcotics case and offered to drop the charges if he agreed to enlist in the Russian Army.

Hussain said he was working part-time for a courier company alongside his studies when he was detained. According to him, authorities pressured him to accept military service as the only way to avoid imprisonment. After around 15 days of training, he was deployed to the frontline, he said.

In the video, Hussain stated that he surrendered to Ukrainian forces immediately after reaching the combat zone. The Ukrainian Army later sent the footage to his mother in Gujarat and asked her to raise awareness about Indians allegedly being misled or forced into joining the Russian armed forces.

Appealing for help, Hussain urged the Indian government to intervene and facilitate his return. He specifically requested New Delhi to take up his case with Russian President Vladimir Putin, noting that the leader had recently visited India.

“I came to Russia for education, but due to financial and visa problems, I came in contact with people involved in narcotics. I was falsely accused,” Hussain said in the video. He claimed hundreds of people were jailed on similar charges and were later given the option of military service in exchange for having cases dropped.

Expressing despair, he warned Indian students and jobseekers to be cautious while in Russia, alleging that scamsters exploit vulnerable foreigners by threatening them with fabricated criminal cases.

Hussain’s mother has approached a court in Delhi seeking her son’s safe return. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for February.

Earlier this month, India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the government is actively working to secure the release of Indian nationals serving in the Russian armed forces. During a briefing, he confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue directly with President Putin during recent high-level talks.

Misri also cautioned Indian citizens against accepting offers linked to military service in Russia, stating that several individuals are currently stranded and seeking assistance to return home.

Families of Indians allegedly recruited into the Russian military have been holding protests across the country, demanding stronger government intervention to bring their relatives back safely.

(This story was taken from syndicated feed and was only edited for style by Gujarat Samachar Digital team)