Russia is recruiting at least 1,500 Nepali youths into the army and sending them to different fronts to fight against Ukraine. Out of which 49 Nepali youths have been confirmed dead. DNA tests are in process to identify the bodies of 57 people.

The families of 118 people who have lost contact have already applied to the consular department for searching. Milanraj Tuladhar with Durga Khanal of Kantipur Home Karki

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As the war between Russia and Ukraine continues, Nepalis working in Russia are in trouble. After being an ambassador for two and a half years, have you found that the Nepalese have come there for what work and need? 

It is said that Jai Prithvi Bahadur Singh from the West was the first to arrive from Nepal. But I didn't get his record. Around 1953, I found a record that Mahakavi Lakshmi Prasad Devkota, Balakrishna Sam, Purna Bahadur Yami reached. On the second visit, he stayed in Russia for a month for treatment. Devkota envisioned 'Udeshya Ke Linu Udi Chandra Chunu Ek'. Even rich in

literature, the relationship with Russia goes beyond what Devkota and Sams started. It seems that Nepalis started studying on scholarship after King Mahendra's visit. Especially after 1990, some students get married and do business after finishing their education. They are doing business according to their position. It seems that the work of organizing non-resident Nepalis started with the people living in Russia. Now the network of non-resident Nepalis seems to be global. 

Lately, Nepalis have also been recruited in the Russian army. How did they get in there? 

The situation is different from that of students doing business and studying. People were seen asking if they could do other work in the name of students. It was seen that instead of studying well with a scholarship, he started looking for a job under the pretext of studying the language. Those same students have started to join the army while looking for work. After we found out, we did what we could by reaching out to the Government of Nepal, the Nepali Embassy. There are thousands of Nepalis in Russia, it is not possible for us to 'trace' who is doing what. 

It was only later that we came to know that the Nepalis were being recruited. As a precaution, we issued a statement in August 2023 saying that rescues in war-torn areas are difficult. Nepalis were coming by paying themselves and joining the army to fight where the war was going on. If you go to a place where there is a war, you can die immediately. What can be said? It is a matter of chance.

Someone survives fighting on multiple battle fronts. Some may even be killed on the same front. Can't be guessed. It was a very risky job. But Nepalis are still wanting to enroll. We once found ex-servicemen coming and sitting confused. They have come because there is an opening for military recruitment. They came to the embassy after someone stole their two hundred dollar money. We reminded them and sent them to Nepal. We kept encouraging everyone who had been recruited and not to go to Nepal.

When the news of Nepalis coming to Russia to be recruited was in the notice of the embassy. At that time, did the embassy go to the relevant authorities in Russia and draw attention to stop the admission?

As soon as we knew that, we went to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It was all internal. We used to have regular meetings with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They said they will take your matter to the Ministry of Defence. We definitely did that. That's how it went. How are people doing? It is a matter of mobilizing the Ministry of Home Affairs through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal to find out which formula is being used. The embassy itself cannot do anything. How many are going from the airport in Nepal? How many are coming from India? The embassy only informs the relevant authorities about how they are coming from Arab countries. It went on regularly. We are working through our channel. 

Rather than from Nepal, the trend of hundreds of people being recruited into the Russian army from Arab countries was seen. At that time, the role of the embassy should be a little more effective, should not the role of the embassy be more effective? Don't you think we missed something?

As soon as news of the death came, we went to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We asked where the body was. It also took time to bring the corpses from the battlefield. It's a little different in war. Deaths are known in some places but bodies cannot be brought. The place was occupied by the Ukrainians. What happened later? how did it happen It is more difficult to know things during the war. What we think and the reality of the field are different. At the beginning, we asked for the dead body of the Nepalese. We also gave a diplomatic note that he should not join the army.

First there were 15 states in the Soviet Union. Citizens of those states still enjoy special privileges in Russia. They are doing different things in Moscow. Citizens of former Soviet Union countries have voluntarily joined the army. 15 countries will be in the army.

They can go to the army of other countries. There is such a rule. Nepalis have also been admitted using this rule. After it was said that the Nepalis were enrolled, we sent our matter to the Ministry of Defense through Foreign Affairs. We continued to take steps as diplomatically as we could and could. 

It became difficult to bring dead bodies from the war zone. Then the matter of stopping the enrollment proceeded. Two issues are important here. From August to September 2023, many groups were admitted. All of their contracts are now over. Must return when contract ends. There is a problem when some people stay even after the contract ends. 

I also spoke to army officers. They promised not to recruit Nepalis. It was announced that the admission was not taken from May 2024. Even before this, the cold of 2023 made recruitment less likely after December. As we ran an information campaign, after the arrest of the broker, the number of people coming into the Russian army decreased. 

After the news of death of Nepalese who joined the Russian army, the issue of sending a diplomatic note to Russia to refuse enlistment became public. It also led to a somewhat uncomfortable situation. At that time, how difficult were you to face diplomatically in Moscow? 

If I had worked suddenly, I would have faced a difficult situation. However, since 2022, I was actively developing diplomatic relations in Moscow. When visiting different states, the Ministry of External Affairs used to send a representative along with them. They used to provide language translators. He used to give a guide. He used to do one program every month or two.

They used to invite Russians and organize tourism, economic and cultural events. I also maintained relations with the media. I was constantly interacting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Because of this relationship, I was not particularly affected by these events. I took a lot of help from them. 

Why was it difficult to get the Nepalis who had been recruited into the Russian army out of there?

Their fronts are large and varied. The fight was not concentrated in one place. Fighting was taking place in more than 20 places. It was difficult to find out what had spread in which places. When we first asked how many people we had, there was no answer. Number of people, location not found. This is not said in the country of war. The Ministry of Defense kept the number of nationals of which countries dead a secret. How much pressure can we put on a warring country? It is very difficult to get information from the Ministry of Defense which is fighting a war. 

After the death of war fighters on the front line, the relatives of those who fought in Kathmandu protested. What efforts have been made to address their demands? 

Many contracts have now expired. The contract is only for one year. There is no point in staying there even after the contract is over. If the contract is still being held by a field commander, the embassy writes to the Russian government. It is also writing. If the contract is not sent, the embassy should be informed. We can tell if the

contract is stopped even after the end. It was difficult for us to evict those who were under contract. Yet many who were indentured had left the battlefield in their own way. 200 people came in contact with the embassy and returned to Nepal. The passport was also lost. They were issued travel documents by the embassy.

We also made a shelter for them to stay at the embassy. 30-40 people were sitting there. Their salary is deposited in the service bank. They return to Nepal after withdrawing money. Jose has a passport in hand, they don't need to come to the embassy. Therefore, the information about their return did not reach the embassy. The information came about how many people went to Russia from Nepal. However, it is not known how many people returned from Russia.

What is the condition of receiving treatment and compensation for the wounded who fought in the war on the front line? 

is insurance for every wound. It was reported that the treatment of the injured was also good. The injured have also received compensation. All those contracted have received compensation. In addition to salary, allowances are also available. All that is credited to your account. 

Did Nepalis fight as the Russian army or are they mercenaries assigned by a third party for the Russian army? I want to clarify

on this too. Nepalis were especially caught in Ukraine. Then there was a debate whether they were mercenaries or Russian soldiers. In the case of mercenaries, international laws related to prisoners of war are not attracted. Only the people of the army are treated according to international law. From that it became known that they are the Russian army. They were treated as a part of the Russian army. Russia also does not treat Nepali and Russian army differently. The same salary, service facilities and insurance have been provided. 

What are the obstacles in bringing the dead bodies of Nepalis killed in the war?

The first problem was insurance. The insurance covers the cost of transporting the dead body from one place to another within Russia only. There is no provision of insurance to take to Nepal. On the second issue, the Foreign Employment Board will not bear the cost of bringing the body of a person who does not have a work permit. The family has to bear the expenses to bring the body to Nepal.

Another thing is that we don't even know the condition of the body. While DNA tests can identify corpses, it is difficult to tell whether a person killed in war is alive or not. The work is being done to bring the item up to Astu. Initially, the two bodies were buried according to Christian culture. When we realized that, we stopped it. Since there are a majority of Hindus and Buddhists in Nepal, we informed that the funeral will also be according to their religion. We said that according to our tradition, cremation should be done and astu is needed. Accordingly, the process of sending the cremation to the electric house in Rohbar was started.

In your understanding, has Russia cooperated and coordinated as expected from Nepal in the identification, burial and compensation of the bodies?

is helping us a lot. Bringing the remains, cremation with military honors is being done.

The families of the members who died in the war have lost everything. The basis of survival for them is compensation, is it possible to get reasonable compensation from Russia easily?

The topic of getting compensation is written in the contract. Some have not written. Even if there is - or not, the rightful person will be able to claim. We have been talking to Russia about this from the beginning. When I came, 6 people had already been asked to come to collect the money. Added some technical issues to it. 

In other countries, the process of getting compensation to the family of the deceased is clear. Accordingly, we also planned to bring money to the account of the embassy, ​​send that money to Nepal and transfer it to the bank account of the victim's family from the respective district. Accordingly, we asked Russia to send the funds. However, a technical problem has appeared in it. "Bank's SWIFT system" does not work to send money from Russia to Nepal.

they give in Ruvel. It can be exchanged for dollars. Due to the international embargo on Russia, there is a problem in sending money from the bank. Apart from that, one person should stand as the representative of the right holder. Now the compensation of 6 people had been prepared. According to this, the rest was also compensated. I came after I was suddenly called back. I have now requested the outgoing ambassador to prioritize this.   

How can the family claim compensation? What is its medium?

We prepared to send the compensation of 6 people to the account of the embassy through India. All are formal means. Another way is to give money even if the claimant himself goes to Russia. Russia has written a letter saying that it will pay all compensation according to the agreement. The time to get compensation may be a little later. But there is compensation. Our embassy will be compensated by participating. 

has reached the final stage of 6 people. Whether the family goes to Russia themselves or not, embassy involvement is required. If possible, it should be done through the embassy. The family's manjurinama and the documents of the right must be translated and certified by the Russian embassy. 

What initiative was taken to evacuate the Nepali prisoners of war in Ukraine?

We wrote a letter to the Russian government asking them to give priority to the Nepalis when the prisoners of war kept in Ukraine are transferred. Russia has already replied that they have included it in the list of prisoners of war. 

How did you find the relationship between the two countries when you were an ambassador for 2 and a half years and what did you do to bring it to a higher level?

Russia has been giving support and sympathy to Nepal since the Soviet era. Russia and Nepal have a deep relationship. Russia is rich in natural resources. That is why I went to Russia with a plan to make economic profit from there, to benefit from trade, investment, and tourism. Within the federal Russian Federation there are three states: Buryatia, Kalmykia and Tuva. It is no different from the Buddhist kingdom. It has a majority of Buddhists. Nepal seems to have a very old relationship with this state. 

Buddhism arrived there in the eighth century. I had 5 statues of Shakyamuni Buddha made in Patan and taken to Moscow. I installed the statue of Buddha taken from Nepal in Saint Peter's square. Then I went to all the three states and met and talked with the chief lamas. All those places have mantras written in Newari Ranjana script. I came to see all of them. 

has a very good relationship with Nepal. I also observed the work done by Lakshmi Prasad Devkota, Balakrishna Sam, Purna Bahadur Yami in 1953 before the establishment of relations with Russia. King Mahendra and Virendra also had a high-level visit to Russia. After this, scholarships were given to Nepali students to study doctor, engineering.