KATHMANDU: Over 40 Nepalis, who fled the Russian army, have been left stranded near Moscow, the capital of Russia. They have been hiding in a cottage for over a week.
A group of seven of them reached out to Himal Press from their hideout on Saturday, pleading for their immediate rescue. When Himal Press informed Minister for Foreign Affairs NP Saud about the situation of the seven youths and their plea for rescue, Saud didn’t seem to take their problems seriously. “We aren’t responsible for the trouble they are in. The government didn’t send them to Russia,” Saud told Himal Press over the phone. “Ask them to contact the Embassy of Nepal in Moscow and the Department of Consular Services. We will see what can be done.”
Saud stated that since the government has advised Nepalis not to travel to Russia, the government cannot be held responsible.
Bikram Dangi from Surkhet told Himal Press from Russia that the agent who sent them to Russia has been threatening them. “The agent is telling us that he will use the Russian police to arrest us,” Dangi said.
According to Dangi, it was Chandra Bahadur Kunwar from Syangja who took them to Russia. The youths paid Rs 1.1 million each to the agent to go to Russia.
Dangi also revealed that these agents also help Nepalis flee the Russian army and then bargain with them for more money to return them to Nepal. “The agent promised us a salary of Rs 200,000 per month and a residential card. However, after we landed in Russia, the agent asked for more money from us,” he added.
Dangi explained that six of them fled the army after the training, while one was already deployed on the war front. “They were preparing to deploy us to the war front after just six days of training. That’s why we fled to save our lives,” Dangi said.
He added that Kunwar alone has brought over 200 Nepali youths to Russia.
Subash Khatri from Dhangdi, who undertook a 13-day journey over snow-filled terrains after escaping the war front, lamented that the government is turning a deaf ear to their plea for rescue. “We have sent requests to the embassy and the foreign ministry. But nobody is helping us,” Khatri said. “The agent is threatening us that he would find us and hand us over to the Russian army.”
The ministry has confirmed the deaths of 13 Nepalis while serving in the Russian army.
