A new kind of human trafficking may have emerged in Nepal in the form of sending soldiers to the Russian-Ukrainian front. The rumor of young Nepalese citizens involved in this far off war had been circling for several months. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal officially confirmed the information in early December after at least six mercenaries were killed in Ukraine and another was captured. "The government of Nepal has asked the Russian government to immediately return their bodies and provide compensation to their families," said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It also urged Russia to stop using Nepalese fighters. The information has had a particularly negative impact since Nepal sided with the Western powers after the attack on Ukraine.

Kathmandu has not provided any details on the number of Nepalese soldiers who have enlisted since the beginning of the war. However, Indian media have indicated that they were present in the Wagner Group. However, the prime minister mentioned that citizens were also serving in the Ukrainian army.

Since August, authorities have repeated that the Nepalese are forbidden from enlisting in foreign armies, except in India and the United Kingdom. According to the Katmandu Post, Nepal's ambassador to Russia, Milan Raj Tuladhar, mentioned a figure of 150 to 200 Nepalese citizens, including both young people and retired army veterans.

They were allegedly lured by the promise of large amounts of money and the possibility of acquiring Russian citizenship, entering Russia via India or Dubai with tourist or student visas. Candidates reportedly paid agents up to $8,500 or $9,000 (approximately €8,370). "We are sending back at least one Nepalese citizen each day. They have all been brought to Russia to serve in the army," the ambassador told the Nepalese daily.

Sordid trafficking

On Wednesday, December 6, the police arrested 12 people suspected of helping organize these deployments. Nepal is a very poor and predominantly rural country that experiences a significant outflow of its workforce. Each year, hundreds of thousands of citizens flock to Gulf countries to look for work. Nepal relies in part on remittances, which account for a third of its gross domestic product. More than three million Nepalese citizens, 10% of the population, work abroad, not counting those in exile in India. This migration has led to a lucrative business and sordid trafficking. Recruitment agencies are abundant in the country, offering their services and presenting remunerative offers, which often turn out to be scams. Aspiring migrants are forced into debt to pay these intermediaries.

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