CNN writes about 15,000 Nepalese in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation: how real is this figure (infographic)

The authors of the publication indicated that the data of the FSB Border Service of the Russian Federation indicate a sharp jump in the number of allegedly tourists from Nepal to the Russian Federation, but did not confirm the amount voiced by American journalists. It is reported that in 2022 72 "tourists" from Nepal entered the territory of the Russian Federation, and in 2023 - 1 039, which is slightly less than 2019.

Most of these people were in Russia in the fourth quarter of 2023 - more than 700 people in three months. The publication also mentions that at the beginning of 2024, the Nepal authorities suspended the issuance of work permits in Russia and Ukraine after the reports of the death of 10 Nepalese during service in the Russian army. According to the official data of Nepal, up to 200 Nepaleans serve in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, and about 100 people are considered missing.

The journalist of the Dossier Center Denis Korotkov in the commentary of the portal "Infanty Time" suggested that the data of 15 thousand Nepalese in the ranks of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation could be overstated. He noted that the presence on the front of such a number of people cannot be noticed.

For his part, the journalist of "Media" Dmitry Trashhanin in a comment to the publication stated that there is evidence of the participation of Nepalese in the war on the side of the Russian Federation, but there are no mass evidence. "And if they said in CNN, there would be even two thousand people on the front, we would see it by losses and, most importantly, for prisoners.

If the losses, especially foreign citizens, are relatively easier to hide - about the level of ZEKs, then prisoners You do not hide. We see that Nepal's citizens fall into Ukrainian captivity. But it is about four, "Trashhanin said. We will remind, on February 11, the CNN agency reported that the Russian Federation recruited almost 15,000 Nepalese to participate in the war against Ukraine. Many of them returned to the injured, and some have never returned.

According to journalists, they were promised a salary of at least $ 2,000 a month and an accelerated process of receiving a Russian passport. At the same time, the representative of the Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR) of the Ministry of Defense Andriy Yusov noted on February 12 that it is difficult to check the figure of 15 thousand, but the CNN material shows how large the problem of recruiting by Russia is.