NEPAL, Jan 6: Nepal has formally requested Moscow to refrain from enlisting its citizens in the Russian military, urging the immediate repatriation of Nepalese soldiers and the provision of compensation to the families of those who lost their lives.

Nepalese authorities have reported at least 10 casualties among citizens who participated on the Russian side in the Russo-Ukraine War, with approximately 100 individuals still unaccounted for. Additionally, around 200 people have signed contracts with the Russian Defense Ministry.

According to Reuters, Nepali labor migrants must secure a work permit from their government for employment abroad, ensuring government assistance during emergencies and compensation for families in the event of a worker's demise.

Kabiraj Upreti, Director of the Department of Foreign Employment, stated, "The decision to temporarily suspend the issuance of work permits for Russia and Ukraine is aimed at minimizing human casualties and will remain in effect until further notice."

On December 5, the Nepalese Foreign Ministry formally urged Russia to cease the recruitment of its citizens into the military, repatriate the bodies of six soldiers killed in Ukraine, and provide compensation to their grieving families.

Simultaneously, negotiations are reportedly in progress to secure the release of a Nepalese citizen currently in Ukrainian captivity. Nepal has additionally appealed to its citizens, urging them not to enlist in the armed forces of any of the conflicting nations.

This development follows reports from the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces’ National Resistance Center, revealing a significant recruitment of mercenaries from Cuba by Russia for the war against Ukraine. Cubans are allegedly deployed to the eastern front lines under the pretext that they are "not spared."