Last December, two siblings from the same family joined the Russian Army. Elder brother Birajan and younger brother Nirajan Bista reached Russia through Dubai with the help of an agent. After arriving in Russia, both of them were assigned to a war zone. During the war, on December 1, 2023, Birajan died after a bomb fell inside a bunker. Birajan died in front of Nirajan, who then informed the family in Nepal.
On May 9, the family members performed the final rituals of Birajan by creating makeshift bodies using Kush grass.
Padam Ghimire of Udayapur, who also joined the Russian Army, died in the Russia-Ukraine war last December 31. Giri, who reached Russia in October, had been missing from the war zone since December 2023.
Before going to war, he said to his wife, “The war between Russia and Ukraine is ongoing. I have been appointed to the war zone. I am not sure whether I will return alive.”
Afterwards, Ghimire remained out of contact. Four months later, his wife Tina received information about Ghimire’s death. On March 14, the government confirmed the deaths of Ghimire and seven others by publicising their names.
Increasing number of Nepali casualties
Sundar Moktan, 37, of Rasuwa, joined the Russian Army without informing the family. He was a road contractor, and after a long period, his family found out that he joined the Russian Army. Moktan reached Russia in August 2023 and regularly contacted his wife Patali Theeng.
“During his last phone call he said, “I can’t return from here, take good care of the children,” says Theeng. In the second week of December, he became contactless. After a month on January 19, a friend of Moktan informed his death.
The friend sent a photo of a body and a death certificate issued by a hospital. News of the deaths of Nepalis who have joined the Russian army is heard almost every day. Although the government does not have any official data, under the pretext of organised human trafficking, a large number of Nepalis are joining the Russian Army.
To date, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed the deaths of 22 Nepalis who joined the Russian Army. The spokesperson for the minister Amrit Bahadur Rai says that the deaths have been confirmed based on information received from the Nepal Embassy in Russia and family members.
Rai further says, “There can be more number Nepalis who have joined the Russian Army and died in the war.”
According to government data, 22 Nepalis have died in the Russia-Ukraine war. Data provided by the family members of those who joined the Russian Army indicates that an additional 19 Nepalis have died in the conflict. Among them, 38 families have already performed the final rituals, and one body is in the process of being returned to Nepal.
Hari Prasad Aryal, 23, of Syangja, who joined the Russian Army last December, also died during the Russia-Ukraine war. He did not come into contact with family members after December 8, 2023. Later, his friend in the Russian Army informed his family about his death.
As the information was not clear, the family did not believe the information. Last December, after the ministry sent the letter, the family accepted the death of Aryal. However, it was impossible to bring his body to Nepal so the family made final rituals of Aryal by creating makeshift bodies using Kush grass.
According to the Ministry, until now no family members have received the bodies of those who lost their lives in the Russia-Ukraine war.
At least 300 contactless, six hostages
The government does not have exact data on Nepalis in the Russian Army who have been injured or remain missing. However, based on applications submitted to the Department of Consular Services, the government is in the process of collecting this data.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 99 Nepalis in the Russian Army are missing, and 286 families have submitted applications to rescue their family members who have joined the Russian Army.
The family members of those in the Russian Army claim that a total of 300 Nepalis are missing. Among them, some have not been in contact with their families for the last five months.
Similarly, six Nepalis involved in the Russia-Ukraine war have been taken hostage. The hostages are Bibek Khatri of Bardiya; Siddhartha Dhakal of Kavre; Bikash Rai of Morang; Pratik Pun of Rolpa; Sujan Subedi of Chitwan; and Ishwor Lamichhane of Makwanpur. Ukraine has made its video public. According to the ministry, 65 Nepalis who joined the Russian Army have returned to Nepal.
