KATHMANDU, AUGUST 1 Bibek Khatri, 26, who is being held as a prisoner of war by Ukrainian forces, said economic hardship after COVID-19 drove him from a warehouse job in Russia into the Russian army, a short, brutal stint on the front line and nearly three years in captivity - and why he still prefers to return to Russia rather than Nepal. Bibek Khatri was 22 years old when he first went to Russia in 2022. Now he is in his mid-20s. The main reason, he said, was the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal. 'I wasn't able to do many things, so I decided to go to Russia,' he told The Himalayan Times during a Zoom interview. Khatri is local to Rajapur Municipality, Bardiya, Lumbini. Once there he worked in a warehouse for a company he identified as Ozon. His visa remained valid when he later enlisted. Ozon is one of Russia's top e-commerce and delivery companies. It is often referred to as Russia's Amazon, with a massive logistics network that provides next-day delivery to more than half of the Russian population via couriers, pick-up points and parcel lockers. On August 7, 2023, he joined the Russian army. He stated that the decision was motivated less by immediate cash than by a desire to obtain Russian documents and establish a longer-term future in the country, including the possibility of further study. 'My motivation was my future, really ... I want to build my future ... it's not for money, rather for a document. I need a Russian document (he meant passport),' he explained. He learnt of the opportunity through friends who were already joining - a form of peer influence. The contract was in Russian; he knew only a few words but knew the order: Training first, then the front line. Training lasted 40-50 days. Within another 10 to 15 days, he was sent to the front. He spent only one or two days there before a sudden, heavy attack. Many on the Russian side were wounded. Khatri was shot in the left leg. He applied a basic dressing himself and then spent two to three days trying to survive on the battlefield. During the day he hid himself in the bushes as the drones circled overhead. 'If a drone sees you, you're dead,' he explained. Gunshots rang out again when the dusk fell. Hungry and parched, he injected himself with a painkiller and crawled during the night till he reached within 200 to 400 metres of a Ukrainian position. Ukrainian soldiers offered him water, and a commander took him into custody. Following his capture, he was able to contact his family and receive medical care. He has been held in the current camp for approximately 1.2 years. When asked about what he would like from the government of Nepal to do for him and his friends, Khatri appeared clear about where he wants to go next; the answer is Russia, not Nepal. He sees little future for himself at home. 'What would I do when I get back to Nepal ... I don't see any future back there ... I would like to return to Russia only ... and build my future,' he said. He sees the situation as the responsibility of the Russian government, for which he and others worked, rather than the Nepali authorities. 'The war will end, and it is the responsibility of the Russian government, so we want to return to Russia,' he stated. He is aware that returning to Russia may result in being sent to fight again, but he prefers that path for the documents and benefits he expects. Khatri seemed to be interested in what was going on in Nepal near the end of the interview. He enquired with The Himalayan Times whether there had been a revolution in the country and who was the current prime minister.