Indian authorities are actively investigating reports regarding one of their citizens who appeared in a video, claiming to have been arrested by Ukrainian forces while serving with the Russian army.
The individual has been identified as 22-year-old Majoti Sahil Mohammed from Gujarat. His video confession, circulating widely online, marks a critical turning point as it’s the first time an Indian national allegedly fighting for Russia has been publicly shown as a Ukrainian captive. This incident underscores India’s ongoing diplomatic efforts with Moscow to repatriate its citizens involved in the conflict.
According to official sources, the Indian Mission in Kyiv is diligently working to confirm the authenticity of these reports. As of now, they have not received any formal communication from the Ukrainian government regarding the alleged capture.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has consistently warned against deceptive immigration agencies exploiting young individuals with false promises of lucrative jobs abroad. Previous reports have highlighted a disturbing trend of young Indian men being lured to Russia under false pretenses, only to find themselves on the Ukrainian battlefront.
This sensitive issue was a key point of discussion during External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s recent visit to Russia from August 19-21, 2025. During his meetings with Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Minister Jaishankar emphasized the urgent need for a swift resolution and repatriation of Indian nationals caught up in the Russian military.
As of September 26, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that 27 Indian nationals were known to be serving in the Russian army. He assured that the ministry remains in close contact with the families of these individuals.
In a prior update on July 24, the MEA informed the Rajya Sabha that 127 Indian citizens had been identified within the Russian military. Through consistent high-level diplomatic engagements between India and Russia, 98 of these individuals had their services terminated. Additionally, the Russian side reported that at least 12 Indian men were unaccounted for.
Previously, some Indian men trapped in the conflict zone had released video appeals, alleging that several of their compatriots had tragically died in combat. However, these claims have yet to be substantiated with concrete evidence.