Nepal asks Russia to STOP recruiting its citizens as mercenaries after six killed in Ukraine War

Confirming that its citizens are fighting for Moscow, Nepal stated that six of its citizens had died while acting as mercenaries in the Russian army and that another had been taken prisoner in Ukraine.

Moscow was urged by Kathmandu to cease using Nepali mercenaries and to return any men who were serving to their homes.

In addition to naming another citizen who was “being held in Ukraine after being recruited into the Russian army,” the foreign ministry of Nepal said it had learned of the deaths of “six Nepali citizens while serving in the Russian army.” Where, how, or when the six were killed was not made clear.

The announcement on Monday came after a cautionary tale in August telling people not to work in security-related fields in nations that are ravaged by war.

“The government of Nepal has requested the Russian government to repatriate their bodies to Nepal and compensate the victims’ families,” the ministry said.

“Nepal has requested the Russian government to not recruit Nepali citizens and to send them back as soon as possible if any are recruited.”

The announcement comes as Russian troops are trying to seize Avdiivka, an industrial town in the eastern Donetsk region of Ukraine that has become one of the most contested points on the front line.

Nepal, a majority-Hindu Himalayan nation, is more than 5,350 kilometres (3,325 miles) from the bloodshed in Ukraine that was sparked by Russia’s invasion.
Many Nepalis go abroad to earn money and remittances are crucial for Nepal’s economy, equalling nearly a quarter of its gross domestic product last year, the ninth-highest rate globally, according to the World Bank.

Nepal’s Gurkhas have long been recruited into the British army, earning a reputation for fierce fighting and bravery since they first served as troops in then-British-ruled India in 1815.

(with inputs from AFP)