Santu Tamang of Gujra Municipality-2, Bramhatol, has been in a state of shock for almost two and a half months. For Santu, who was raising her 5-year-old daughter and waiting for her husband, this waiting has become a dream that will never come true. Because the news of her husband, Man Bahadur Tamang, 45, who had gone to join the Russian army, died there.

Right now, she is more upset by the news of her husband's death than she is worried about not being able to bring his body back.

Until a few months ago, Santu had a different dream. She had imagined that Man Bahadur would return from Russia and live a normal life. But the war with Ukraine took away all her dreams.

After Man Bahadur, who had joined the Russian army, was killed on the front lines of the Russia-Ukraine war, his family is currently in deep grief and confusion. ‘I sat on the road waiting for my husband’s body to arrive. My acquaintances from Russia said that they would not send the body, but that you should handle the process of coming here, so I am going,’ she said, ‘I have prepared all the documents for Russia. Now I will go to the embassy and apply.’

Even now, Santu does not think the incident is true. Her throat gets blocked while talking. As soon as she heard the news of her husband’s passing, she asked for help from her relatives and friends. But seeing no way to bring the body, she decided to go to Russia herself.

Man Bahadur had joined the Russian army in the hope of improving the family’s financial situation and making his children’s future bright. The news of Man Bahadur’s death in the war has plunged the entire village of Brahmatol into mourning. The Tamang family has been devastated after the pillars of their house collapsed on the soil of a foreign country. Even after three months of Man Bahadur's death, Santu complained that the Russian government had not shown any readiness in sending the body to Nepal.

When she went to the Russian embassy a week ago to inquire about her husband's condition and the body, they said there was no news from there. She said that the chances of the body arriving were low, so she decided to go to Russia herself.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Man Bahadur was raising chickens in his village. He took a loan of 1.5 million and ran the farm, but it did not generate the expected income. Then he left for Russia in 2080 BS Kartik. While in Russia, he would always tell his wife on the phone that he would return soon after earning money. Man Bahadur had already repaid the loan of 2.5/2.6 million within two years of joining the Russian army.

Man Bahadur died in the Russia-Ukraine war

After some time, he started preparing to call his wife Santu to Russia. He had convinced his family that since he had obtained Russian citizenship, he should 'settle' there. But Russia did not have the easy job he had imagined. He joined the Russian army and was deployed on the front lines in the war with Ukraine. During the war, a bomb dropped by a Ukrainian drone killed him. The voice of the person calling home stopped forever.

Santu would repeatedly ask on the phone, how was the situation in the war? Man Bahadur would assure him that there was no danger, there was no fighting like before. But after some time, Santu stopped contacting Man Bahadur. Then Santu contacted Bivas Pangeni of Purbakhola, Palpa on TikTok. Bivas had told him the sad news that Man Bahadur had been in a drone attack. Bivas said that he had already learned about Man Bahadur from the soldiers' group chat. As soon as he received the news of Man Bahadur's death, Bivas asked his friend who was going to collect the body to take a photo and send it. 'At first, I didn't believe it,' Bivas told Kantipur, 'It was only after receiving Man Bahadur's photo that the death was confirmed.' Man Bahadur and Bivas stayed together in the army camp for some time. Later, Man Bahadur was deployed on the war front in Perijon, between Soledar and Siverske on the Russia-Ukraine border. Bivas informed that Madhav Prasad Neupane of Palpa, who was deployed with him at the post, was safe. Santu said that she had only heard about the attack on Magh 29. As soon as Man Bahadur reached Russia, he joined the army in Moscow. Bivas had met him during the training. Bivas says that although there were 25 recruits, 10 of those who were trained escaped from the war zone.

When Man Bahadur was going to Russia, Santu had deposited Rs. 340,000 in Dinesh Bhattarai's account at Lumbini Bank in Kalki on 4 Asoj 080. Santu has kept the money safe. He tried to contact Bhattarai first, but he could not.

Man Bahadur had gone to India in the first week of Asoj. He was preparing to go to Russia from there. He returned to Nepal after the broker said that the process could not be completed. A month later, in Kartik, Santu left Nepal for Russia.

He has four brothers. All of them are separated. Before going to Russia, Man Bahadur had started a business by selling the 9 kaththas of land that had been allotted to him. ‘The Nepal government would have brought my brother’s body as much as possible, but now there is no plan to bring it,’ said Babu Tamang, who was waiting for his brother’s body.’

Lok Bahadur Poudel Chhetri, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that the government is trying to bring the body as much as possible. He said, ‘This incident did not occur to my knowledge. The consul must know. First of all, we have asked him not to join the Russian or Ukrainian army. Despite this, we are making every effort to rescue and bring the body in accordance with the wishes of the family in a difficult situation.’

The Russia-Ukraine war has been ongoing since February 24, 2022. After suffering unexpected losses in the war with Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin introduced a policy to increase the number of soldiers by providing a salary of about 300,000 rubles and direct Russian citizenship after a year.