January 3: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has confirmed the demise of three more Nepali citizens serving in the Russian army. The ministry said on Tuesday that the Nepali nationals died in the Russia-Ukraine war.
MoFA Spokesperson Amrit Bahadur Rai shared that Hari Prasad Aryal of Syangja district (passport no 12299891), Bharat Bahadur Shah of Kailali (passport no 11027175) and Raj Kumar Giri of Dhading (passport no 07573738) have been confirmed dead.
Prior to this, the ministry had confirmed the deaths of seven Nepalis serving in the Russian military force. According to the ministry, those killed have been identified as Sandeep Thapaliya of Gorkha, Rupak Karki of Kapilvastu, Dewan Rai of Pokhara, Pritam Karki of Syangja, Raj Kumar Roka of Dolakha, Gangaraj Moktan and Kundan Singh Nagal of Ilam district.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has repeatedly urged Russia not to recruit Nepali citizens in its military rank and file and to send back any Nepali citizen who is currently serving in the army. The ministry has also sought information from Russia about the number of Nepalis who have joined the Russian Army, in addition to the injured ones and their condition.
Earlier on August 1, the government issued a notice stating that the government has no policy of approving the recruitment of any Nepali citizens in foreign military forces expect in the national army of a few friendly nations in accordance with the long-standing agreement.
The Foreign Ministry has also urged all Nepalis to compulsorily receive no objection certificates (NOC) from the Nepali embassies and consulates in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the UAE, Saudi Arab, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain if they are traveling to Russia via those countries. Earlier, the NOC was issued only from Consular Service Department under the Foreign Ministry for those going to Russia for other reasons except for government assignment, study purpose in Russian scholarship and businesses.
The ministry has also urged Nepalis not to get recruited in the military service of the war-ravaged nations on the basis of false information or other's temptation.
