Nepal has announced it will no longer issue work permits to its citizens in Russia after at least 10 Nepali soldiers were killed while serving in Vladimir Putin’s army, Reuters reported.

The country in the foothills of the Himalayas also called on Russia to immediately repatriate all its citizens serving in the Russian army and to provide compensation to the families of the dead.

The government in Kathmandu estimates that about 200 Nepali nationals are now in the ranks of the Russian army, and Foreign Minister NP Saud said that about half of them are missing.

Reuters reports that the Nepali soldiers, known as “Gurks”, are known for their courage and fighting skills and are currently being recruited by both the British and Indian armies as part of an agreement signed by the governments of London, Kathmandu and New Delhi.

But Nepal does not have such an agreement with Russia.

Director of Nepal’s overseas labor department, Kabiraj Upreti, said that as a precautionary measure, the government will also no longer issue work permits in Ukraine, and that these measures are aimed at preventing loss of life.

According to him, the decision will remain in force until further orders. “This is for the safety of our citizens,” the official stressed. The government of Nepal avoided directly stating that its citizens died during the war in Ukraine.

People were detained in Nepal for recruiting into the Russian army

Nepal requires its migrant workers to obtain a work permit from the government to accept work abroad, documents that entitle them to government support in emergencies or to compensation for their families in the event of death.

Millions of Nepali citizens work abroad, especially in construction, industry or courier services.

The move, announced by Nepal’s government on Friday, comes after the national police arrested 10 people last month, whom it accuses of illegally sending unemployed youths to join the Russian army after extorting huge sums of money from them money for tourist visas.

Official figures show that more than 800 Nepalis have legally obtained work permits in Russia over the past two years, but it is not entirely clear how many of them went to work in Ukraine.

Cuba, Afghanistan and the former Soviet states of Central Asia are also among the countries where Russia has tried to find volunteers for its military operations.

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