‘I am hopeless’: Gujarat youth captured in Ukraine while fighting for Russia appeals to PM Modi for rescue

A 23-year-old man from the Morbi district of Gujarat, who is in ‘captivity’ in Ukraine for reportedly participating in the war for Russia, has appealed for help from the Indian government for his release. His appeal came in a latest video message sent to his family, who also cautioned Indians from scammers while going to Russia for studies or work.

Sahil Mohamed Hussein Majothi, a resident of Morbi’s Kalika Plot area, came into the spotlight after Ukrainian authorities released a video earlier this month showing him surrendering to their forces.

Majothi had travelled to St Petersburg on January 10, 2024, on a student visa to study Russian Language and Culture at ITMO University. He was later allegedly implicated in a police case, jailed, and reportedly compelled to join the battlefield to fight for Russia, where he was eventually captured by Ukrainian troops.

Appeals to PM Modi for rescue

In a video message that the family received on Sunday night, claiming it to have been shared by ‘Ukrainian authorities’, Sahil says, “Right now I am stuck in Ukraine as a war criminal. Now I am hopeless, I don’t know what will happen in future. But I want to send a message to my Indian citizens. Those Indians coming to Russia for higher studies or work, be careful because there are so many scammers here. You may be trapped in criminal cases, narcotics cases, or illegal cases, so take care of yourself. As far as possible, stay away from all this.”

He also appealed to the Indian govt and said, “I appeal to the Indian government, to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and S Jaishankar (Minister of External Affairs), if possible, please help.”.

While the video messages do not specify when they were recorded, one of them seems to be a recent one, as Sahil can be heard referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit on December 4 and 5.