Russian ambassador's claim: "All Nepalis are not willing to return to their country"

Nepalis who have been recruited in the Russian army are trying to return home through video or other contact. Also, 260 people have applied for their family members in Nepal to bring their family members. Russian Ambassador Novikov said in a meeting with Finance Minister Varshman Pun on Wednesday that all Nepalis are not willing to return to their country. Ambassador Novikov mentioned that the Nepalese government is not guilty of recruiting Nepalis into the army and mentioned that Nepalis reached Russia via India and Dubai and joined the army there.

After the meeting between Finance Minister Pun and Ambassador Novikov, the statement issued by the Finance Minister's Secretariat said, 'Even if Russia wants to send Nepalis back, the Ambassador claims that he has received news that not all Nepalis are willing to return to their country.' The ambassador says that it should be stopped.

Novikov informed Minister Pun that preparations are being made to release the Nepalis held hostage by the Ukrainian army, even if it is through the exchange of prisoners of war. "We are ready to free Nepalis from Ukraine, even if they are exchanged with members of the Ukrainian army under the control of our army," Novikov said. In the

meeting, Finance Minister Pun expressed interest with Ambassador Novikov regarding the recruitment of Nepali youth in the Russian army without a bilateral agreement. Pun also said that he informed the Russian government about it through Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Minister Pun asked Radjut Novikov to create an environment for Nepalis working in the Russian army to return home. He also drew the attention of the Russian government through the ambassador to create an environment to bring the bodies of those who died in the Russia-Ukraine war to Nepal, treat the injured and provide relief and compensation to the families of the deceased.