The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is investigating reports that an Indian national has been captured by Ukrainian forces, a senior government source confirmed to The Pioneer on Tuesday.
The report emerged after The Kyiv Independent claimed that Ukraine’s 63rd Mechanized Brigade had taken into custody an Indian citizen allegedly fighting for Russian forces. The individual has been identified as Majoti Sahil Mohamed Hussein, reportedly a native of Morbi, Gujarat.
In response, the Indian Embassy in Kyiv has begun efforts to verify the report. "The Indian Mission in Kyiv is ascertaining the veracity of the report. It has not yet received any formal communication from the Ukrainian side in this regard," the source said.
If confirmed, this development could pose serious diplomatic and legal concerns for India, as the recruitment or participation of Indian nationals in foreign armed conflicts is strictly prohibited under Indian law. The incident also raises questions about the growing trend of foreign nationals being drawn — voluntarily or forcibly — into the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
According to the Ukrainian military, Hussein was captured while serving with Russia’s 3rd Army Corps. The 63rd Separate Mechanized Brigade released a video interview in which the Indian national claims that he had initially gone to Russia to pursue higher education but was later imprisoned under unclear circumstances.
In the interview, Hussein alleges that Russian authorities pulled him from jail and coerced him into joining the war, promising freedom and financial incentives. He told Ukrainian troops that he had hoped to escape once deployed to the frontlines and that he did not want to remain behind bars.
The Ukrainian brigade stated that they apprehended Hussein during a recent engagement with Russian forces, and that he was now in their custody.
While the Indian government has not yet confirmed the individual's identity or the circumstances of his capture, officials have reiterated that any Indian national found to be fighting in a foreign conflict would be subject to legal scrutiny upon return.