Moscow, 9 March 2024, (TDI): On March 7, Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Lavrov spoke over the phone with the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Nepal Narayan Kaji Shrestha to discuss the development prospects between the two countries.
During the phone call, the two foreign ministers discussed the issues related to Nepalese soldiers serving in the Russian armed forces and several aspects of Nepal-Russia relations.
The conversation took place several weeks after the death of about a dozen Nepalese soldiers in the Russian armed forces. Hundreds of Nepalese have travelled to Russia in recent months.
The prospects of better job opportunities and Russian citizenship were their key drivers. Some claim they were promised non-hazardous assignments. Upon arrival, however, they assert that they have been deployed to the frontline to participate in the conflict in Ukraine.
Compensation and Repatriation Demands
Nepal’s Foreign Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha requested the Russian Foreign Minister to expedite the return of dead bodies of Nepalese citizens, Nepal’s foreign ministry confirmed.
In addition, he demanded the Russian government provide compensation to the families of those citizens and facilitate the repatriation of serving Nepalese soldiers in Russian forces.
Russian authorities have agreed to provide compensation to victim’s families. They spotlighted that such compensation would be sent through the Nepalese embassy in Moscow to the deceased families.
However, they have not addressed the concerns related to the further recruitment of Nepalese soldiers.
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“The Russian side has already sent different proposals of compensation, including the amount to be distributed to the families of those killed and injured,” said a senior foreign ministry official. “Compensation for seven deceased will be released soon,” he added.
In addition, the two sides discussed bilateral ties in the areas of tourism, trade, and culture. Sergey Lavrov also congratulated and expressed best wishes to his Nepalese counterpart on his assumption of office.
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