Nepal Urges Russia to Repatriate Nepali Citizens Serving in Foreign Army

In a significant development at the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit held in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, on Friday, Nepalese Foreign Minister NP Saud had a crucial meeting with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin. The primary focus of their discussion was Nepal’s request for the repatriation of its citizens currently serving in the Russian army.

Foreign Minister Saud emphasized that Nepal does not have a policy of sending citizens to foreign armies, except in traditional arrangements with specific countries. He communicated to the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, “We have asked Russia not to recruit Nepali citizens for military service.”

In addition to the repatriation request, Foreign Minister Saud urged Russia to return the bodies of Nepali individuals who lost their lives during the conflict in Ukraine. He also appealed for compensation to be provided to the grieving families, stating, “The families of those who died in Russia are suffering a lot. It is our human responsibility to respect the wishes of the family to receive the dead bodies of their relatives and bury them according to their culture.”

Responding to these concerns, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin assured that he would take proactive initiatives to address the issues raised by Foreign Minister Saud. The willingness to engage in resolving these matters reflects a diplomatic commitment to finding a mutually agreeable solution between the two nations.