'Seven more Nepalese citizens serving Russian Army killed, toll touches 19'

Seven more Nepalese citizens serving the Russian Army in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war have died in the last week, taking the total number of deaths to 19, the foreign ministry said on Thursday.

Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs latest update on the toll came two days after Deputy Prime Minister Kaji Shrestha asked Russia to share a list of Nepalese citizens serving the Russian Army in the ongoing Russian--Ukraine war but stressed that complications remained in bringing them back from the war zone.

He also met the Russian Ambassador to Nepal Aleksei Novikov on Tuesday over the matter when the latter called on him.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the deaths of seven more Nepali nationals who were fighting from the Russian side in the Russia-Ukraine war.

"With the deaths of 7 more Nepalese citizens with the Russian Army, the total number of such cases have touched 19," said the statement.

The ministry said that the deaths of Nepali nationals in the Russian Army come even as the Nepal government has banned the recruitment of Nepali nationals in foreign armies except for those countries with whom Nepal has signed a traditional agreement.

The ministry has extended heartfelt condolences to the families of those killed in Ukraine.

The ministry said it has once again requested the Russian government to provide compensation to the kin of deceased soldiers, to provide treatment to those injured in the war and to repatriate those recruited illegally into the Russian Army.

Nepal government has placed top priority on the works relating to repatriating those Nepalese nationals who have been recruited into the Russian Army, the ministry said.

Hundreds of Nepali citizens are reported fighting for the Russians against Ukraine. A small number of Nepali citizens are serving in the Ukrainian Army too, but both conflicting nations have not shared the details with the government of Nepal.

On March 7, Shrestha held a telephone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and raised the concerns of the Nepali side.

Shrestha also reportedly said that he wants to visit Russia and take stock of the condition of the Nepali nationals in Russia.

He said he is keen to know how Nepali nationals were duped and brought to Russia and talk to Russian officials to resolve the issue.