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New Delhi: A shocking video has surfaced after an Indian youth shared his harrowing ordeal of allegedly being forced to join the Russian army. The Gujarat resident warned others not to join the Russian armed forces under any circumstances.
The man claimed he had no choice but to enlist after he was falsely implicated in a drug case. He alleged that police blackmailed him into joining the army in exchange for dropping the charges.
The Indian student, identified as Sahil Mohammad Hussain, recorded the video from an undisclosed location in Ukraine. He claimed that he had been captured by Ukrainian forces. A resident of Gorbi village in Gujarat, Hussain appealed to the Indian government to help him return home safely, NDTV reported.
Hussain said he was working part-time at a courier firm while pursuing his studies in Russia when he was suddenly linked to a fabricated drug case. According to him, the police promised to withdraw the charges if he agreed to join the Russian forces.
In another video narrating the incident, Hussain said he accepted the deal and underwent 15 days of training before being deployed directly to the frontline. He later surrendered to the Ukrainian army.
At the Ukrainian camp, officials reportedly contacted Hussain’s mother and urged her to raise awareness about how Indians are allegedly being duped into joining the Russian military. His mother subsequently filed a petition in court seeking her son’s safe return. The next hearing is scheduled for February.
Hussain said he entered Russia in 2024 to pursue higher studies. Struggling to make ends meet, he came into contact with some Russian nationals allegedly involved in narcotics-related activities.
Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, on December 5, said the Indian government is making sustained efforts to secure the release of Indian citizens who have joined the Russian armed forces, while also cautioning against further recruitment.
At a special briefing during the state visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Misri said Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue with the Russian leader. “Our concerted efforts continue on a regular basis to secure the early release of Indian citizens from the Russian Army,” he said.
Misri also urged Indian citizens to exercise extreme caution. “Our citizens should very carefully avoid any offers to join the Russian armed forces. We are seeing several cases of people stranded there and appealing to be rescued,” he added.
Families of Indians stranded in Russia have been staging protests, demanding government intervention to bring their loved ones back.
