"I Want to Come Home": Gujarat Student’s SOS from Ukrainian Captivity

"I want to come home." These desperate words from 23-year-old Sahil Mohamed Hussein Majothi have turned a local missing person case in Morbi, Gujarat, into a complex diplomatic crisis. On December 21, 2025, a harrowing video appeal surfaced showing Majothi in the custody of the Ukrainian Army. Identifying himself as a prisoner of war (POW), he pleaded directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for intervention. Unlike previous cases of Indians duped by job agents, Majothi’s testimony suggests a darker trend: he claims he was coerced into the Russian military by state authorities under the threat of imprisonment, spending only three days on the frontline before surrendering.

The Context (How We Got Here)

Majothi’s journey began innocently in January 2024, when he traveled to St. Petersburg on a student visa to study at ITMO University. However, while working part-time as a courier to support himself, he was arrested by Russian police on what he describes as fabricated drug charges. Facing a terrifying 7-year prison sentence, authorities reportedly offered him a stark ultimatum: rot in a Russian jail or sign a military contract. He chose the latter. By October 2025, ill-equipped and untrained, he was deployed to the frontlines, where he immediately surrendered to Ukraine’s 63rd Mechanized Brigade upon encountering their position.

The Key Players (Who & So What)

Sahil Majothi: The victim. A resident of Morbi, his plight highlights the extreme vulnerability of Indian students in Russia. His admission—"I immediately put down my rifle... I needed help"—underscores his lack of intent to fight.
63rd Mechanized Brigade (Ukraine): The captors. By releasing high-definition testimonials of captured mercenaries, they are waging a strategic information war to dissuade other foreigners from joining the Russian ranks.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA): The diplomat. While they have previously secured discharges for Indians, this case is complicated by the "criminal" pretext used by Russia to enlist Majothi. They are currently "verifying the claims."

The BIGSTORY Reframe

While mainstream coverage frames this as "Job Fraud," the deeper story is the "Prison-to-War Pipeline." Majothi’s case mimics the recruitment tactics formerly used by the Wagner Group, suggesting that the Russian state may now be systematically targeting vulnerable foreign students with legal jeopardy to replenish its depleted infantry. This isn't just about shady travel agents; it is about State-Sponsored Coercion.

Furthermore, the release of the video is a calculated move of "POW Diplomacy." Ukraine is using Majothi not just as a prisoner, but as a geopolitical messenger. By amplifying his warning against "scammers," Kyiv is pressuring New Delhi to take a harder stance against Moscow’s recruitment of Indian nationals.

The Implications (Why This Changes Things)

If Russian police are indeed weaponizing the judicial system to conscript foreign students, the safety of thousands of Indians studying in Russia is in jeopardy. This shifts the issue from a "employment warning" to a "consular emergency." The Indian government faces the delicate task of negotiating the release of a citizen who, on paper, is a "volunteer" soldier fleeing criminal charges, while trying to maintain its strategic balance with Russia.

The Closing Question (Now, Think About This)

If a student visa can be converted into a death warrant by a police officer's threat, can any Indian student in Russia consider themselves safe from the frontline?

FAQs

Who is the Gujarat man captured by the Ukraine army in 2025? The man is Sahil Mohamed Hussein Majothi, a 23-year-old student from Morbi, Gujarat. He went to Russia for studies but was captured by Ukrainian forces after allegedly fighting for the Russian army.

How did an Indian student end up fighting for Russia in Ukraine? According to his video testimony, Majothi was working as a courier when he was arrested by Russian police on allegedly fabricated drug charges. Facing a 7-year prison sentence, he was coerced into signing a contract with the Russian military to avoid jail time.

Has the Indian government rescued Sahil Majothi from Ukraine? As of December 22, 2025, he has not yet been rescued. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) states they are "verifying the claims" and have not yet received formal communication, although the family has publicly appealed to Prime Minister Modi for his release.

Sources

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Brajesh Mishra Associate Editor

Brajesh Mishra is an Associate Editor at BIGSTORY NETWORK, specializing in daily news from India with a keen focus on AI, technology, and the automobile sector. He brings sharp editorial judgment and a passion for delivering accurate, engaging, and timely stories to a diverse audience.