Sky News bases its estimate on the testimonies of the Nepalese who returned and on Russian immigration figures.
Poor Nepalis will be tempted by high salaries to fight against the Ukrainians. Nepalis have long been banned from serving in foreign armed forces.
“They were beaten by the Russians”
Sky News spoke to 35-year-old Ganesh, who has been fighting in Russia for more than four months. According to him, Nepalis are “treated like dogs.” “For the first two weeks of training life was good, but when we were sent to Ukraine we didn't have enough food and were beaten by the Russians. It was very bad.”
They had to be on the front lines, he says. Behind them stood Russian soldiers.
We previously made this video on this topic, in which Southeast Asia correspondent Tom Shellstreet talks with the parents of a young Nepalese man who joined the army in Russia:
To combat recruitment, the Nepalese government decided two months ago that people were no longer allowed to go to Russia or Ukraine to work. 22 people were arrested on charges of helping Nepalis obtain documents to go to Russia.
Contact lost loved ones
According to official figures from Nepal, 21 Nepalis died while serving in the Russian army, but many families say they have lost contact with their loved ones.
