A 23-year-old man, Sahil Mohamed Hussein Majothi, from Gujarat’s Morbi district, is currently in a Ukrainian detention centre. He allegedly surrendered to the Ukrainian authorities in the Russia-Ukraine war after fighting in the Russian army. Sahil appealed to the Indian government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for help in securing his release on December 21.
In video messages sent to his family, he also warned Indian citizens planning to go to Russia for studies or work to be cautious of scams. Majothi had travelled to St Petersburg on January 10, 2024, on a student visa to pursue a course in Russian Language and Culture at ITMO University. He reportedly became jailed in a false drug case, and was allegedly forced to join the Russian military later.