Nepal's mercenaries fight for Russia | DW Documentary

[Music] this South Asian country is in the spotlight thousands of Nepalese men are fighting a distant war on behalf of Russia in Ukraine driven by poverty and the promise of a better future they risk their lives to support their families back home hundreds of families have lost contact with their loved ones on the front lines those who've escaped bear the scars of a foreign war many others stand ready to join that [Music] war near a village outside catmandu this family Mourns the death of their loved one pora bahador was killed 3 months ago fighting on the front line in Ukraine a fellow nepales Soldier confirmed bahadur's death to his wife lelu over the phone every month lelu organizes these morning prayers for his departed Soul when I heard the news of my husband's death I felt like jumping from a cliff and ending my life for weeks I couldn't believe it I simply refused to accept that he was gone and even now I sometimes feel like he might call but that call she knows will never come PNA a former driver joined the Russian army to pay off his debts he barely got two weeks of training before they sent him to the front line his death has left a deep void in the family his youngest daughter still believes that her father will return someday [Music] soon my little daughter has no idea and we haven't told her lately she keeps seeing his photos and asks us to call him sometimes she wonders why her father stopped calling us she cries a lot lelu also feels devastated the family do not even know whether they will get his body for a proper [Applause] burial the home reminds her of bahador where she has decades worth of memories before he left for Russia there is such loneliness without him I feel his absence that's it I miss him terribly now she is burdened with a debt of €6,000 that bahador paid to the agent who facilitated his journey to Russia across Nepal hundreds of nepales families have similar stories their men are either trapped in the war or confirmed dead others are out of contact with their families many of the Dead are not returned home and the bodies that are brought back are cremated like this among them Suman is the lucky one who escaped the Russian army he paid €3,000 to a Russian agent who helped him leave the country today suan is at this Temple to thank God for saving his life in a war a world away he suffers from Nightmare and is deeply traumatized by what he experienced on the front lines in Ukraine nobody cares about the dead in Russia the life of the injured depends upon the seriousness of the wound if treatment is possible we rescue them otherwise we were instructed to shoot the seriously injured soldiers on site such events made him change his mind about the war after serving 3 months in the Russian army Suman did not receive the promised salary of $2,000 a month since his return He has been jobless desperate to find work he is ready to work as a daily wager he asks this shopkeeper for work but his told there is no work for him disappointed suan goes shop to shop but it is not a lucky day for him finding work is very hard Nepal is consistently ranked as one of the poorest countries in the world the economic and employment situation is dire at least 5 million people work outs outside the country mostly As migrant laborers many are willing to take risky options like joining Russia's Army as a foreign fighter this police unit is tasked with stopping the constant flow of nepales men from joining the Russian forces Police Commissioner Benda katri and his men are cracking down on recruitment agent agencies and brokers who profit from sending men off to the war these agents are persuading men to join the Russian army by promising them better opportunities recently they have arrested 20 nepales Nationals on charges of Fraud and human trafficking they found this stash of cash passports and illegal documents for commissioner Bender these latest arrests have been an eyeopener he's concerned about the role of nepales traffickers working abroad found different layers like in India even in uh UAE and different agents are working there at a time to provide them the facilitations any assistance they needed like sometimes they they fly from kandu to Dubai or any other transit route and they will get the visa from there that kind of you know interesting part we found during the investigation but despite police raids and mounting risks many young men still want to go sones is ready to join the Russian army every day he spends hours surfing Tik Tok videos that glamorize nepales soldiers in Russia for him joining the Russian army is a ticket to a better life but all that he needs needs is to convince his reluctant mother she is worried that he may become another casualty in Russia's War your uncle was also unemployed here and then left for Russia he is in big trouble now and now you also want to join the Russian army please don't go I know we can't support you financially I know we are entirely vulnerable but sones does not mind taking this risk like others he too is attracted to the Russian government's promise of a good salary and citizenship in return for military service here I don't have any money I thought the best option would be to go to Russia sometimes you need to take risks to get ahead in life without money we can't do anything in this world this is why I want to leave and join the Russian forces sones works as a part-time pickup Rider in kmu earning €1 15 a day with this money he struggles to support his aging parents today he is visiting this recruitment agency that sends migrant workers abroad for jobs sish is hoping they might be able to help he asks if they can help him to join the Russian army but he is told the agency does not send people to Russia for sones it was a disappointing outcome being in the Russian army pays a lot more than being a migrant worker in Qatar Dubai this is why people choose the Russian army and why I too want to go for it because of the danger out there the recruitment agency now denies sending youth to Russia the government has also banned going there but sones does not want to work on a construction site in Qatar his hunt for recruitment agencies and Brokers continues Nepal has opposed Russia's invasion of Ukraine in the UN the government is urging its citizens to not take part in the war nepales former foreign minister Naran prakash sord who was in office until March told DW he has been negotiating with his Russian counterpart on this issue I would like to express my concern about the enlistment of our citizens in the armed forces of a Nation with which we lack an official pact or treaty to do so the recruitment of her citizens implies that it happens with the knowledge of the Russian government despite the efforts taken by the nepales government nothing has changed in kandu Social campaigner K bandari has taken the battle to the streets today she is joined by AG grieved families who demand Justice for their loved ones she is helping them prepare legal documents for the return of their men do you have documents of your husband joining the Russian army if you have get them all printed we need to submit them today lelu is also joining this March she has traveled from her Village to the capital to demand the remains of her husband Perna this March is heading towards the Russian Embassy and they are stopped by the police no one is willing to engage with them or accept their documents these families are from remote areas of Nepal they've been struggling to appeal to the government to return their family members who joined the Russian war they're here to demand the Russian government begin rescue operations for nepes like lelu hundreds of nepales women are determined to fight to the end end they say their lives have been reduced to one goal either securing the remains of their loved ones or demanding the safe return of those still fighting Russia's war in Ukraine

Channel: DW Documentary

Views: 176,414

Keywords: Documentary, DW documentary, full documentary, DW, documentary 2023, dw documentary, documentaries, Documentaries

Id: SoEvHnS7QIo

Length: 12min 26sec (746 seconds)

Published: Mon Apr 15 2024