Indian Student Joins Russian Army to Escape Drug Charges, Mother Claims

Tue Oct 21 2025 00:39:08 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Sahil Majothi, an Indian student from Gujarat, was captured while fighting for Russian forces in Ukraine, claiming he enlisted to avoid drug-related imprisonment. His mother narrates the troubling circumstances leading to his military involvement.

Sahil Majothi, a 22-year-old Indian student studying in Russia, was recently captured by Ukrainian forces while allegedly fighting for the Russian army. According to his mother, he joined the military to avoid drug charges he faced in Russia. The Indian government is investigating the case as concerns grow about Indian nationals being recruited into the conflict.

Ukraine has captured an Indian national allegedly fighting for Russian forces, the first known Indian detained in the ongoing war.

Sahil Majothi, 22, from the Indian state of Gujarat, went to Russia to study computer engineering two years ago. His mother claims he was falsely accused in a drug case last April.

Mr. Majothi joined the Russian army to avoid imprisonment over drug charges, according to a video released by Ukraine's army on Tuesday.

The Indian foreign ministry says it is investigating the case and has not received formal communication from Ukraine. The BBC has asked the Russian government for a response.

In an interview with BBC Gujarati, Mr. Majothi's mother Hasina Majothi said her son went to Russia in January 2024.

He completed a three-month language course in St Petersburg before moving to Moscow for college, supporting himself part-time as a kitchenware courier.

She alleges that in April 2024, someone slipped drugs into a parcel handed to Mr. Majothi during his deliveries.

The police caught him with it and charged him, Ms. Hasina said.

According to Ms. Hasina, her son was detained, held for six months and later sentenced to seven years in prison. The family hired a private lawyer in Russia to defend him, but they had no idea when or how he was drafted into the military.

I don't know how he ended up in Ukraine. I only found out through the viral video, Ms. Hasina said.

In the video released by the 63rd Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian army, Mr. Majothi can be heard saying he was given a choice between joining the Russian army or serving jail time.

He said he was told he would serve in the military for a year before being released.

Mr. Majothi claims that different people promised him varying amounts of money— from a hundred thousand to over a million roubles— but he never received any payment.

After a brief training period, he was sent to the battlefield a year later, and following a conflict with his commander, he sought help from Ukrainian forces.

This situation highlights rising concerns over Indian nationals being recruited into the Russian military, with reports stating that over 150 Indians have enlisted, while many remain unaccounted for.

The Indian government continues to urge its citizens to avoid participating in the conflict, citing risks to their safety and well-being.