What was the conversation of Foreign Minister Shrestha with the Russian Foreign Minister to stop military recruitment?

The dialogue was the second high-level discussion between the Government of Nepal and the Government of Russia regarding the illegal recruitment of Nepalis into the Russian army. Earlier, during the 19th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement held in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, during the 19th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement, the then Foreign Minister NP Saud expressed dissatisfaction on behalf of Nepal in his meeting with the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Versinin Sergey Vasilievich.

At least 13 Nepalis who were recruited into the Russian army and sent to fight against Ukraine have died so far, while 5 are in the custody of the Ukrainian army. In addition, the relatives have submitted a petition to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, demanding the rescue of 270 Nepalis. Deputy Prime Minister Shrestha mainly raised 6 topics in his conversation with Lavrov. Shrestha to send the bodies of Nepalis who joined the Russian army and died in the war with Ukraine to Nepal, to provide compensation to the families of the Nepalese who died in the war, to send back all those who were injured in the war and enlisted in the Russian army, not to recruit Nepalis in the Russian army, to inform the Nepalese government of the number of Nepalis who were recruited in the Russian army. and requested to inform the Russian army that they are under the occupation of the Ukrainian army.

Shrestha also informed the Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov about the fact that Nepal does not traditionally have a policy of enlisting in the army of other countries except some countries. "I mentioned in the dialogue that Nepal and Russia are old friends and that our relationship has been going on for a long time and I also asked them to cancel the contract and send them back to Nepal," Shrestha said.

In the reply, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov mentioned that Russia would compensate the families of Nepalese who died, but he did not answer any of the remaining 5 demands requested by Nepal. Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov did not respond to other issues. He only mentioned that the relevant officials of the two countries will work in contact," said a foreign official.

Earlier, Nepal had brought forward this issue in the meeting with then Foreign Minister Saud and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Vasilyevich in Uganda. Even then, Russia did not open its mouth on any issue other than compensating the families of the deceased. Instead, Russia only "noted" Nepal's request. On November 18, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a diplomatic note was sent to Russia saying that 'Nepali citizens should not be recruited into the Russian army and if they are, they should be returned to Nepal immediately'. According to the ministry, there has been no response to the diplomatic note so far.

The then foreign minister Saud drew the attention of the Nepalese government to the Russian ambassador to Nepal in Kathmandu, Alexey Novikov, in the third week of November and the first week of December. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on January 4, stating that except for those involved in government work, Russian government scholarships and professional business, ordinary citizens can travel to Russia only with a No Objection Certificate (NOC) issued by the Ministry's Consular Services Department, Tripureshwar.

Expanding this arrangement, if traveling to Russia from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain, the general public has been told to travel with NOC issued by the embassies and consulates in the respective countries.