KATHMANDU, Dec 21: Authorities in Nepal are intensifying efforts to bust the racket involved in sending Nepali youths to join the Russian army amid reports that several hundred Nepali nationals could already be serving in the Russian army.

The District Police Range, Kathmandu arrested 12 individuals after an extensive operation lasting several days across the valley in the first week of December. An additional four individuals were arrested on Wednesday as part of the government’s efforts to crack down on the racket involved in sending Nepali youths to war zones, according to SP Kumudh Dungel, who is also the spokesperson for the Police Range, Kathmandu.

Concerns have grown as Nepali youths are still being taken to Russia to enlist in the Russian army amid a significant casualty rate. "Our focus now is to bust the racket sending the youths to the Russian army under the pretext of providing them with lucrative jobs," said a senior government official, requesting anonymity.

The government is particularly concerned amid unconfirmed reports that several hundred Nepali nationals are already serving in the Russian army, and dozens of them are reported dead, although the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has officially confirmed the death of only seven Nepali nationals serving in the Russian army.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, speaking to reporters at the CPN (Maoist Centre) headquarters at Parisdanda in Kathmandu last week, said that the government has received information that over 200 Nepali nationals are currently serving with the Russian army.

However, former Nepal Army (NA) personnel Ram Chandra Shrestha, who escaped to Nepal after briefly serving with the Russian army in Ukraine, claimed that the number could be much higher. In a podcast show, he further claimed that several dozen Nepali nationals could have already been killed on the battlefield. "I cannot show their photos, but I tell you that I personally know 35-40 of them," he claimed in the podcast hosted by Sushant Pradhan.

Shrestha made such claims amid the family of Bharat Shah, who died while serving in the Russian army, performing his last rites without his mortal remains at Daulatpur Ghat in Tikapur on Sunday. Shah, 36, of Tikapur Municipality-1 Durga Nagar, Kailali, had joined the Russian army three months ago. The family received news of his death through a friend working in the Russian army on December 15.

Police investigations revealed that ex-policemen and soldiers have mostly joined the Russian army. While many youths, who reached Russia as students, chose to join the army due to no other sources of income to stay in Russia following the outbreak of the war against Ukraine, agents involved in sending Nepali youths to war zones seem to have persuaded former security personnel currently serving in the UAE and other Gulf countries to join the Russian army. In some cases, serving security personnel are also found to have been persuaded to join the army.

Although the family of Bharat Shah has already performed his last rites, the MoFA has officially confirmed the deaths of only seven Nepali nationals who were fighting alongside the Russian army in Ukraine. The deceased have been identified as Kundan Nagal, Sandeep Thapaliya of Gorkha, Rupak Karki of Kapilbastu, Dewan Rai of Kaski, Pritam Karki of Syangja, Raj Kumar Roka of Ilam, and Ganga Raj Moktan of Ilam.

While the families are yet to receive the bodies of the deceased, the government has also not been able to secure the release of Nepali nationals currently held as Prisoners of War (PoW) in Ukraine. At least four Nepali nationals, Bibek Khatri, Siddhartha Dhakal, Bikash Rai and Pratik Pun have been confirmed as PoW by Ukraine so far. Ambassador of Nepal to the Russian Federation Milan Raj Tuladhar told Republica that efforts are being made to secure their safe return to Nepal and compensation for those killed in war zones.

Foreign Minister Saud stated that the Ukrainian government has communicated specific conditions for their release and emphasized that Ukraine seeks assurances regarding the type of punishment these individuals will face upon their return to Nepal.

During the initial investigation, the police discovered that the racket involved in sending Nepali youths to Russia facilitated the travel of Nepali youths to Russia from Tribhuvan International Airport on visit visas. Most of those aspiring to join had either retired from security services or possessed training in handling arms.

Nepali soldiers, known as the brave and skilled Gurkhas, recognized for their valor in combat, have been part of the British and Indian military forces since India achieved independence in 1947 through a trilateral pact. However, there is no comparable agreement in place with Russia.

The government earlier publicly urged all Nepali nationals to refrain from joining the armies of war-torn countries based on false information or the temptation of monetary gains. The government appealed to all ordinary citizens, excluding those engaged in government work, recipients of Russian government scholarships, and professionals in business, to travel to Russia only through the Consular Service Department under MoFA, Tripureshwar.

 
• Nepal._Russia
 
• war