KATHMANDU, APRIL 16
Family members including the partially paralysed mother of Yog Giri (20), currently enlisted in the Russian army to fight against Ukraine, have urged the government to apply diplomatic pressure to release their son from the battlefield in Ukraine.
Uma Kumari Giri, 46, the mother of Yog, who has been partially paralyzed for a year and is under medication, expressed, "I am very worried about my son. Even though we are poor, we don't need anything; we will make our living here. I want my son back at any cost."
Dhunda Giri, 48, a peasant and father of Yog, expressed profound shock at his son's unexpected presence in Russia and his involvement in the conflict against Ukraine. "We are not only deeply concerned for him but also for his mother, who incessantly dwells on his well-being."
"Before travelling to Russia, he was earning a living and supporting us as two sisters are in high school, and his brother is unemployed at home. He must have fallen into the trap of human smugglers," Dhunda shared.
Speaking to THT from an undisclosed location in the Luhansk province of occupied Ukraine, Yog Giri alleged that he was deceived by an agent named Bhim Tiwari from Chainpur Gairipata, Jwalamukhi 7, in the Dhading district, who currently resides in Pithuwa, Ratnanagar Municipality, Chitwan district.
"Nothing is bigger or more significant than life itself. I want to save my life and return to Nepal to be with my family," Yog said, appealing for help to save his life as he could be sent to the frontline in Bakmut at any moment.
"It's really tough here as I have been serving since November after enlisting in the army," Yog shared, recounting his ordeal of getting injured during the trench warfare in Bakmut on the frontline, along with his failed escape attempts and other challenges.
Surviving on a couple of pieces of bread, canned, raw and dried food has been a huge challenge as "we are accustomed to having rice, soup, and vegetables," Yog said, adding that he is yet to receive a single ruble even after being injured in the Bakmut trench warfare.
How did he make it to Russia?
Elaborating on his ordeal, Giri recounted how he worked in a factory in Kathmandu, barely earning enough to sustain and support his family back in the Dhading village. "Then I met Bhim Tiwari, who promised me around 300,000 rupees per month in Russia, which was very attractive, but he never mentioned joining the Russian Army, charging one million rupees," Giri explained.
"It was out of reach for my family, but we managed it by paying a high interest to loan sharks," Dhunda described how they raised the funds. "We are literally residing in an abandoned neighbour's house as they migrated to Chitwan," he added, expressing their distress. "We don't know what to do, where to go, or whom to tell to rescue our son."
"We approached local representatives, political leaders, and line ministers, pleading to make an effort to release our son from Russia, but to no avail," Dhunda added, expressing their frustration.
Meanwhile, Yog shared, "After a day or two of documentation, I was sent to New Delhi, India, to evade any suspicion in immigration. Upon arrival in the Indian capital, I met seven other Nepalis travelling to Russia via Uzbekistan. Without any hassle, we cleared immigration and began our journey to Russia, as everything had been arranged with the authorities."
"After a brief interrogation at the airport, we were picked up by the agent there and transferred to the army enlistment desk. It was then that I realised I had been duped."
Trench warfare, injury and failed escape
Yog said, "After enlisting in the Russian Army, we were sent to a training camp, completing all formalities. Barely a month into training, we were then sent to the frontline in Bakmut, Donetsk Oblast. It was terrifying; I cannot adequately express in words the horror of it all-explosions, gunfire, trauma everywhere."
"During the trench warfare, I sustained gunshot wounds to my arms and received treatment for 22 days at a hospital near Avdiivka, Ukraine, before devising an escape plan."
"There are foreign fighters in our unit as well, from Ghana, Uzbekistan, and other countries, but no Nepalis, perhaps to prevent information sharing among fellow countrymen," Giri shared.
"Three of us Nepalis decided to escape from the area after we met in the hospital during treatment," Giri said, adding, "We disposed of all our identifications and documents but were caught by border guards before sending us to our respective units.
"The situation is very scary and tense; anything can happen at any given time. Now, I am worried about my life and my family back home," he said, urging the concerned authorities to do their best to rescue him.
Government intervention
Amrit Bahadur Rai, the spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kathmandu, said the government maintains continuous communication with its Russian counterpart for the release of people like Yog Giri.
"Given Russia's involvement in the conflict with Ukraine, our options for intervention are limited," the official stated, emphasising that despite the motivation of some Nepalis to join foreign armies, Nepal does not shirk its responsibilities and is aware of the issues faced by the youth like.
"We have been tirelessly working with the Russian government to secure the release of Nepalis serving in Ukraine, as well as to address matters such as treatment and compensation for those who have lost their lives," Rai stated.
"Due to persistent efforts, the Russian government, which initially instructed families to collect compensation from Moscow, has agreed to provide compensation to families via the Nepal Embassy in Moscow through the respective district administrations," spokesperson Rai shared.
He also urged the families of individuals joining the Russian army to file their applications at the Department of Consular Services to request assistance.
"We have lodged our application at the Department of Consular Services seeking to rescue Yog Giri from the Russian Army," said Prakash Chatkuli, a relative of Yog.
Prakash Mani Paudel, the director general at the Department of Consular Services, informed that 19 Nepalis have been killed, six captured by the Ukrainian army, and there are 285 missing persons' applications. "The issues concerning Nepalis in the Russian army are being closely managed by our embassy in Moscow," Paudel stated.
"So far, we have not received any applications seeking to rescue Nepalis fighting for Ukraine against Russia," Paudel shared.
Meanwhile, the government has decided not to renew or issue work permits to Nepalis travelling to Russia and Ukraine.
Kabiraj Upreti, the information officer at the Department of Foreign Employment, said the decision would remain in effect until further notice.
Prem Prasad Dahal, an information officer at the Department of Immigration, said that a no-objection letter is mandatory for immigration to Russia due to the government's suspension of work permit issuance. However, Dahal clarified that this regulation does not extend to other travel destinations.
Response from the Nepal embassy in Moscow
Sushil Ghimire, information officer and second secretary at the embassy in Moscow, said, "We are aware of the issue related to Yog and other Nepalis in the Russian Army fighting in Ukraine. However, we don't have data on the number of Nepalis who have enlisted in the army." Ghimire quoted Ambassador Milan Raj Tuladhar as saying that Russia has agreed to compensate seven Nepalis killed during the war in the initial phase.
Talking to THT, Ghimire disclosed that with the consent of families, the remains of those killed during the war, including Preetam Karki, Hari Prasad Aryal from Syangja district, and Dewan Rai from Kaski district, were cremated in Russia.
He also shared that as many as 50 Nepalis detained in various countries, including Belarus, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan, were repatriated to Nepal in coordination with the embassy.
"We have also urged Nepalis not to travel to Russia unless it is for family reunions or business purposes," Ghimire shared.
Police call for efforts against human trafficking
Taking advantage of youth desperation seeking employment abroad, human traffickers and smugglers are sending them to vulnerable places including in conflict zones of Russia and Ukraine, said Chief of the District Police Range, Kathmandu, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Bhupendra Bahadur Khatri.
Twenty individuals have been arrested in connection with sending young people to Russia to join armies, with four being charged with human trafficking, eight with misconduct behaviour, and eight with fraud and scam cases. Some have been released on bail, while others remain in judicial custody.
While Nepal's legislation includes a Human Trafficking Act, the absence of laws specifically addressing human smuggling presents a formidable obstacle to prosecuting those implicated in this egregious offence abroad, SSP Khatri shared.
"Nevertheless, we persistently implore victims returning from Russia to come forward and register complaints against the perpetrators of human smuggling, offering them comprehensive support from governmental authorities. Regrettably, thus far, no individuals have availed themselves of this opportunity."
"Furthermore, we advocate for members of the public and victims to supply us with pertinent information regarding smugglers, accompanied by substantiating evidence such as payment receipts, digital communications, or relevant conversations about the matter," SSP Khatri said when specifically asked about the issue related to Yog Giri.
Lack of unemployment and social division
Dr Ganesh Gurung, a migration expert, underscored the stark reality that young people are compelled to undertake the risk of travelling abroad to provide support for their families as there are not enough opportunities at home.
Gurung expressed dismay at the trend of youth like Yog, who, regardless of their interests, are driven to join foreign armies, such as those in Russia, engaging in conflicts like the one in Ukraine. He deemed this phenomenon a shame for the nation.
Questioning the government's commitment to addressing this pressing issue, Gurung highlighted the stark societal divide between the haves and have-nots.
Moreover, he elaborated that individuals with economic and academic stability often migrate to regions like North America, Europe, and Australia, while others opt for destinations such as the Gulf/Middle East, Malaysia, and even Russia to enlist in their armies.
Gurung emphasised the multifaceted nature of the economic, social, and political factors contributing to the exodus of youth seeking employment abroad, including their willingness to join the ranks of foreign militaries, thus endangering their lives in the process.
