An Indian student detained by Ukrainian troops has become the first known national from India captured in the ongoing war, after allegedly being coerced into fighting for Russia to avoid a lengthy prison sentence.
According to BBC News, 22-year-old Sahil Majothi from Gujarat was captured by Ukraine’s 63rd Mechanized Brigade, which released a video showing him claiming he joined the Russian army in exchange for freedom. “The police caught him with it and charged him,” his mother, Hasina Majothi, said, explaining that her son had been framed in a drug case while working as a courier in Moscow.
Majothi moved to Russia in early 2024 to study and was sentenced to seven years in prison that April after drugs were allegedly planted in his delivery package. His mother said the family lost contact after his arrest until the viral video surfaced this week. “I don’t know how he ended up in Ukraine. I only found out through the viral video,” she told the outlet.
In the clip, Majothi claimed he was promised between 100,000 and over a million roubles for joining the Russian army but never received any pay. After just 15 days of basic training, he was sent to the front lines — and within a day, he reportedly deserted his unit and surrendered to Ukrainian forces.
His family in India has since been questioned by Gujarat’s Anti-Terrorism Squad, as Indian officials confirm details of his detention. Community leaders say Majothi’s case reflects a troubling trend. “Many young men like him have been trapped and dragged into the war,” said Kasam Sumra.
