Indian national fighting alongside Russian military surrenders to Ukraine

An Indian national fighting alongside the Russian military surrendered to Ukrainian forces, the Ukrainian military said on Tuesday.

The 63rd Mechanised Brigade of the Ukrainian military, on its Telegram channel, released a video of the Indian national who identified himself as Majoti Sahil Mohamed Hussein from Gujarat.

There was no word from Indian officials on the matter.

Official sources said the Indian embassy in Kyiv was ascertaining the veracity of the report.

It has not received any formal communication from Ukrainian authorities on the matter, they said.

The Ukrainian military said 22-year-old Hussein came to Russia to study at a university, The Kyiv Independent newspaper reported.

In the video, Hussein said he was sentenced to seven years in a Russian prison on drug-related charges and was offered the opportunity to sign a contract with the Russian military to avoid further punishment.

"I didn't want to stay in prison, so I signed a contract for the special military operation. But I wanted to get out of there," Hussein said.

After 16 days of training, Hussein was sent on his first combat mission on October 1, and it lasted three days.

Following a fight with his commander, he surrendered to Ukrainian troops.

"I came across a Ukrainian trench position about two to three kilometres away," he said.

"I immediately put down my rifle and said that I didn't want to fight. I needed help. I don't want to go back to Russia," he added.

The 63rd Mechanised Brigade in its Telegram post said Hussein studied in Russia, but was caught with drugs.

"In order not to go to prison, he went to war," the post said.

The Ministry of External Affairs last month said that India had strongly called upon Russia to release and repatriate 27 Indian nationals currently serving with the Russian Army.

There have been reports that some Indians on student and business visas were forced into joining Russian military units deployed on the frontlines of the war in Ukraine.

India has been repeatedly asking Russia to release all Indians serving as support staff, such as cooks and helpers, with Russian military units.

The issue was raised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Russia last year as well.

According to official data, the number of Indians recruited by the Russian military is now more than 150.

At least 12 Indians were killed while fighting on the frontlines of the conflict in Ukraine, while 96 were discharged by Russian authorities.

Another 16 have been listed as missing.