Nepal's unsung plight, hidden no more. Despite a literacy rate of 71.15%, unemployment cripples the nation, driving its people toward untenable risks for employment. The harrowing experiences of Nepalese youth can be comprehended through a Sky News report on the abysmal conditions faced by Nepalese mercenaries fighting for Russia in the Ukraine conflict.
Indeed, you heard right. Russia has enlisted nearly 2,000 Nepalese men to battle against Ukraine. Plagued by poverty and joblessness, these Nepalese soldiers now desperately seek a return to their homeland.
Talking about 35-year-old Ganesh, Sky News shared how, after more than four months of conflict in Donetsk, Ukraine, Ganesh was fortunate to return home alive. However, many of his compatriots are still stranded in Russia. According to Ganesh, the Russians treated the Nepali like dogs.
Ganesh recalls his time in Russia as nightmarish. The combat was not man against man, nor a bullet for a bullet. Instead, they faced terrifying drone attacks.
Ganesh, who had served in the Indian Army for ten years, noted that while he had combat experience, others were novices. He described some soldiers who had never even held a gun before.
It has also been reported that life was tolerable up until the point when Nepalese fighters reached the training center. However, once their training concluded, the Russian army's attitude shifted drastically, and they were thrust into the battlefield. 'Life was good during the first two weeks of training. But once we were deployed to Ukraine, everything changed. We didn't have enough food, and we were beaten by the Russians,' said Ganesh.
Ganesh revealed that for the Russians, the Nepali soldiers were merely cannon fodder, positioned on the front lines while the Russian troops stayed back. He witnessed his comrades fall and get injured before his eyes, without any assistance from the Russian soldiers.
Nepal faces dire employment conditions, leaving its youth vulnerable to agents who entice them with lucrative overseas jobs.
Intriguingly, several Nepalese have also disclosed being given student or tourist visas to travel to Russia. The Nepalese government is concerned about this exodus and is taking action on such cases.
It must be noted that it has always been illegal for Nepalese to fight for foreign armies, including Russia. Nonetheless, in January this year, the government banned its citizens from traveling to Russia or Ukraine for work and called for the repatriation of all Nepalese recruited by Moscow.
Holding onto the hope for a better life and a decent paycheck, Ganesh returned home after enduring numerous ordeals. However, numerous Nepalese fighters remain trapped in Russia, desperate to return but ensnared in a situation that makes their repatriation almost impossible.
The sad reality is that these individuals are coerced into risking their lives for Russia, and there's no one to look after their well-being there.
