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Gujarat man alleges ‘capture’ in Ukraine, urges Indian govt for help
A 22-year-old man from Gujarat’s Morbi has sent a video message to his family, alleging that he was captured by Ukrainian forces while fighting for the Russian military, and appealed for help from the Indian government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi
A 22-year-old man from Gujarat’s Morbi has sent a video message to his family, alleging that he was captured by Ukrainian forces while fighting for the Russian military, and appealed for help from the Indian government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
This is the second video of the man, identified as Sahil Hussein. In the earlier video, released in October, Hussein alleged that he had surrendered after being sent to the battlefield as part of the Russian military.
In the new video, widely circulated on social media, Hussein said he went to Russia nearly two years ago to pursue computer science, and alleged that he signed a contract with the Russian military while in custody in a criminal case and was sent to the war zone after limited training.
Further, he urged for diplomatic intervention to facilitate his return to India, and cautioned Indians coming to Russia, citing the risk of getting trapped in legal and other complications.
“I feel hopeless. I don’t know what will happen. But I do have a message for young Indians who are coming to Russia. Be careful. There are many fraudsters here who can falsely implicate you in a drug case,” Sahil purportedly said in his video message.
“I appeal to the Indian government, to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and EAM S Jaishankar, to please help me if possible,” he said.
“I came in contact with some people from Russia and I was arrested in a narcotics case. I have not done anything wrong but sentenced to seven years in jail. Misled by Russian police, I signed the war contract in prison to fight the war for Russia, which is the biggest mistake in my life,” he added.
Meanwhile, his mother, Hasinaben Majothi said they have also requested the Union government for help. “We have appealed to the central government to help us in getting our son back. We have written to the Indian embassy in Ukraine and they have assured us that our son is safe and that all efforts are on to get him back,” Hasinaben Majothi, Sahil’s mother told HT.
“I was sent the two new videos from some media outlets in Ukraine and was told that they were released by the government. My son looks healthy in the video. I am also trying to reach out to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is expected to visit India in January, and appeal to him to release my son and return to me,” said Majothi.
She said that she has requested the Indian government via email to ensure that his son is not sent back to Russia.
The footage sent in October led his family to approach authorities and later move the court in Delhi seeking his return. Further hearing in the case is to be held in the first week of February.
On December 5, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said India is actively working to bring back Indian citizens who have joined the Russian armed forces.
