Since the beginning of the year, the Kremlin has stepped up efforts to attract foreign fighters to send to Ukraine. Those interested can expect a salary of at least $2,000 (about 1,900 euros) per month and Russian citizenship. It is now known that approximately 15,000 Nepalis have responded to the call.
This is evident from a report by the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform, which refers to the American broadcaster CNN. CNN journalists spoke with mercenaries returning from the Ukrainian front and with relatives of people who fought for the Russian army.
Nepal’s passport is among the worst in the world for global mobility, according to CNN, and the Himalayan country is among the poorest in the world. According to the Nepalese government, approximately 200 Nepalese citizens are fighting for the Russian army. At least thirteen Nepalese have been killed in the war zone so far. According to Nepal’s Foreign Ministry, four Nepalese fighters are currently being held as prisoners of war by Ukraine.
Thousands of Nepalese families fear for their loved ones
However, human rights activists in Nepal believe the actual numbers are higher. A prominent Nepali opposition MP, former Foreign Minister Bimala Rai Paudyal, also said last week that between 14,000 and 15,000 Nepalis would be fighting on the front lines for Russia.
Kritu Bhandari, a politician and social activist from Kathmandu, has now become the leader of a group of relatives of Nepalese men fighting in Russia. She explained that about 2,000 families had contacted her in recent weeks asking for help in contacting their missing loved ones or bringing them home to the small South Asian country. Many of them have not had contact with their loved ones for weeks or months.
Mercenaries from Afghanistan, India, Congo and Egypt?
A Nepalese soldier in Russia, who did not want to be named for security reasons, told CNN that he had trained in rocket launchers, bombs, machine guns, drones and tanks during his time at the training camp. The soldier spoke about fellow cadets from across the South. He mentioned Afghan, Indian, Congolese and Egyptian comrades, among others.
Group photos posted on social media show dozens of South Asian soldiers with Russian instructors. Several returned Nepalese fighters accused Russia in CNN interviews of using them as “cannon fodder” in the war. The Nepalese government has now banned fellow countrymen from working in Russia.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
