Why Nepalis Are Fighting on Both Sides of the Russia-Ukraine War
The DiplomatLess than one month after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, reports emerged that a Nepali youth named Pratap Basnet was fighting for Ukraine. “But weapons here are more modern than what I would get in Nepal Army training.” There is no publicly available data on the number of Nepali youths joining Russian forces. Nepali youths have been drafted into the British Army since 1815 as “British Gurkhas.” This tradition carried over after India achieved independence through the “Indian Gurkhas.” Nepal’s Gurkha Contingent has also been actively engaged in the Singapore Police since 1949, again through the British connection. Despite Nepal’s neutral foreign policy priority, Nepali youths are not just working in foreign militaries through formal channels but are also joining foreign forces as private citizens. Unemployment, low pay, and lack of vacancies in Nepal’s own military are other factors driving Nepali youths out of Nepal to enlist with foreign forces.
History of this topic
Nepalis Stuck in the Russian Army: A Familiar Tale for Nepal
The Diplomat
Why are South Asians going to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war?
Al Jazeera
Nepali citizens are fighting in both Russia and Ukraine, over 700 families ask Moscow for help: Report
India TV News
Nepali mercenaries lured to fight for Russia in Ukraine
The IndependentNepal asks Russia to send back Nepalis recruited to fight in Ukraine and the bodies of those killed
Associated Press
Nepal arrests people smugglers supplying Russia’s army in Ukraine
Al JazeeraDiscover Related
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