6 Nepalese killed fighting for Russia, 1 taken prisoner in Ukraine

Nepal said on Monday that six of its citizens were killed and one captured while acting as mercenaries for the Russian army in Ukraine, confirming that Nepalis are fighting for Moscow.

Kathmandu has asked Moscow to stop using Nepali mercenaries and repatriate those serving in the military.

Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it had received information that “six Nepali nationals” had died while serving in the Russian army, and added the name of another national who was “detained in Ukraine after being conscripted into the Russian army.” ” announced.

It did not say when, where or how the six people were killed.

The statement follows an August warning urging people not to work in security-related jobs in war-torn countries.

“The Nepali government has requested the Russian government to repatriate the bodies to Nepal and compensate the families of the victims,” ​​the ministry said in a statement.

“Nepal has called on the Russian government not to draft Nepali nationals into the military, and if drafted, to send them back as soon as possible.”

The announcement comes as Russian forces attempt to seize control of the industrial city of Avdiivka in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region, one of the most contested points on the front line.

Himalayan-majority Nepal is more than 5,350 kilometers (3,325 miles) from the bloodshed in Ukraine caused by the Russian invasion.

Many Nepalis go abroad to earn money, and remittances are crucial to Nepal's economy, accounting for nearly a quarter of its gross domestic product last year, according to the World Bank. , which has the ninth highest remittance rate in the world.

Nepal's Gurkhas have long been conscripted into the British army and have been known for their fierce fighting and bravery since they first served in British India in 1815.

Source: guardian.ng