The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday confirmed the deaths of seven more Nepalis serving in the Russian army.

Issuing a statement, the ministry identified the deceased as Purna Bahadur Gurung of Dhading, Nabin Shahi of Jajarkot, Padam Bahadur Ghimire of Udayapur, Ganga Ram Adhikari of Jhapa, Jit Bahadur BK of Baglung, Sanjay KC of Banke, and Sundar Moktan of Rasuwa.

The government has prioritised bringing home all Nepalis serving in the Russian army and has been making diplomatic efforts for the same, the ministry said.

“Likewise, the Russian government has been requested again to compensate the families of all those killed in the war, bear the medical expenses of those injured and repatriate all Nepalis serving in the army,” the statement further reads.

With this, the death toll of the Nepalis serving in the Russian army has reached 21.

Earlier, the government had released the names of 14 nationals who were killed in the battle. Over 200 family members have registered separate complaints at the Department of Consular Affairs for the rescue of their relatives serving in the Russian army. Nepal has already made clear that it does not allow its citizens not to be recruited into any foreign army other than those it has signed bilateral agreements with, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement earlier.

The government, in two different notices issued earlier, asked its citizens not to visit Russia without taking a no-objection letter from the Department of Consular Affairs.

Last week, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Kaji Shrestha had a phone conversation with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and discussed the issue of Nepali citizens serving in the Russian army.

During the talk, the Russian minister pledged to act on the requests of the kin of Nepalis serving in the Russian forces.

Shrestha requested Lavrov to expedite the repatriation of dead Nepalis, compensate the families of the deceased and facilitate the return of Nepali citizens serving in the Russian army, according to the foreign ministry. Russian authorities have agreed to provide compensation to the victims’ families.

Kirtu Bhandari, who leads a campaign on behalf of the families of the Nepali nationals serving in the Russian Army, informed the Post last week that “as many as 116 Nepalis are injured, 274 have gone missing, and over 620 have joined the Russian army”.

In an interview with the state-owned National News Agency, the then foreign minister NP Saud in January had said the number could be much higher, adding that the ministry has received complaints that around 100 Nepalis serving in the Russian army were either missing and injured while battling Ukrainian forces.

Published on: 15 March 2024 | The Kathmandu Post