Kathmandu July 30, 2025.A total of 71 Nepali nationals who had joined the Russian army have been confirmed dead in the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war. According to information sent by the Russian Ministry of Defense to Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs via the Nepali Embassy in Moscow, these 71 deaths have been officially confirmed.
The identity of 41 more individuals remains unverified. DNA samples from their families have been collected and sent to Russia for confirmation.
According to Durpada Sapkota, Director General of the Consular Services Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 349 families have so far filed applications seeking information about their relatives who had joined the Russian army.
She stated, “Based on the official information received from the Russian government, 71 Nepalis have died. For the 41 unconfirmed cases, we’ve sent DNA samples provided by the families. Additionally, around 40 Nepalis are still missing.”
No Official Confirmation on Compensation
Although there are unverified reports that two families of deceased individuals have received compensation, Sapkota clarified that no formal confirmation has been received by the Ministry.
She added, “We are issuing No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to those who wish to travel to Russia to claim compensation or to inquire about missing or injured relatives. The parents or spouses of those identified in the DNA report have been provided NOCs upon request.”
Sapkota mentioned that although compensation is supposed to be processed from Moscow, the Ministry has no concrete data on how many Nepalis have actually received it.
International Sanctions Blocking Money Transfers
Officials have noted that international sanctions on Russian currency have made it difficult to transfer money from Russia to Nepal.
One official stated, “Even those who received compensation are facing difficulties in converting Russian currency and bringing it to Nepal. Bank channels do not appear to be a viable option, so we are currently exploring alternative means.”
Russia Halts New Recruitment of Nepalis
The Russian government has reportedly stopped recruiting new Nepali citizens into its military and has also ceased renewing contracts for those currently serving under Nepali citizenship.
An official remarked, “Those who have acquired Russian citizenship are being allowed to continue, but no new recruitment or contract renewal is happening for Nepali nationals.”
According to social activist Kritu Bhandari, who is coordinating with families of Nepali soldiers in Russia, more than 250 Nepali individuals have returned home so far.
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17 Nepalis in Ukrainian Captivity, No Repatriation Efforts Yet
According to government data, 7 Nepalis are currently detained by Ukrainian forces. However, family sources claim that 10 more Nepalis are also being held by the Ukrainian military.
The Consular Department of the Foreign Ministry confirms that 7 individuals are war prisoners. Family sources state that all 10 captives have written letters to their families through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
The detained individuals include names such as Vivek Khatri, Siddhartha Dhakal, Bikash Rai, Prateek Pun, Sujan Subedi, Ishwar Lamichhane, and Krishna Bahadur Ghimire, among others.
Director General Sapkota confirmed, “We have received information that seven Nepalis are in Ukrainian captivity.”
Ambassador’s Planned Visit to Kyiv Canceled
In an effort to facilitate the release of Nepali war prisoners, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had planned to send Dr. Shail Rupakheti, Nepal’s non-resident ambassador to Ukraine (currently stationed in Germany), to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.
However, this visit was suddenly canceled.
A ministry official stated, “The ambassador was scheduled to present his credentials to the Ukrainian President and hold discussions with officials regarding the release and repatriation of Nepali war prisoners. The Foreign Minister himself had shown interest in the matter. But we don’t know why the visit did not happen.” By Parsuram Kafle, form Naya Patrika |
