KATHMANDU, JANUARY 27
The family of Binod Bahadur Sunuwar, who tragically lost his life while serving in the Russian Army during the ongoing war in Ukraine, performed his funeral rites at Pashupati Aryaghat in Kathmandu on Monday.
Kritu Bhandari, an activist spearheading the 'Campaign to save the lives of Nepali citizens in the Russian Army', quoted Sunuwar's wife, Shreejana Basnet, as stating that the final rites were conducted after the battalion commander confirmed his death via message.
Sunuwar was reportedly killed while fighting Ukrainian forces in Bakhmut, although the exact time of his death was not specified.
The family decided to proceed with the funeral after learning from the commander that retrieving his body from the battleground was impossible due to the intensity of the ongoing fighting.
Sunuwar had been missing for 75 days before his death was confirmed, following communication from the commander, who had contacted a Nepali-speaking Indian soldier from Darjeeling currently stationed in Moscow.
Three days after receiving the news of his death, the family chose to perform the last rites at Pashupati Aryaghat, using a kush effigy in place of his body.
Sunuwar had left for Russia on Ashoj 17, 2028 (early 2023), obtained a Russian passport in November, and renewed his contract before being deployed to Bakhmut, as confirmed by Basnet, his wife, and Bhandari.
According to Bhandari, while the government has yet to officially confirm Sunuwar's death in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, the battalion commander's message urged the family to proceed with compensation claims. This led the family to perform his last rites.
Though Sunuwar's ancestral home is in Okhaldhunga, his family migrated to Kathmandu after his siblings were buried in a landslide. They now reside in Kirtipur-4 in Kathmandu, Bhandari shared.
Previously, the government had reported that at least 49 Nepalis had been killed in the war, with six being held captive. However, the exact number of Nepalis currently serving in the Russian army remains unknown.
Activist Bhandari, who has been in contact with other families, claims that at least 66 Nepalis have died in the war, with their families having already conducted last rites after receiving confirmation of their deaths on the battlefield.
She also stated that 16 Nepalis are being held captive by the Ukrainian army, though she did not provide further details, beyond the fact that videos of six captives were released by the Ukrainian government.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 49 Nepalis have been confirmed dead in the ongoing war, with DNA tests currently underway to verify an additional 57 deaths. Meanwhile, 118 families have contacted the consular department seeking information on the whereabouts of their missing relatives.
Additionally, 162 Nepalis have terminated their contracts and returned to Nepal. It is estimated that around 1,500 Nepalis are currently serving in the Russian Army, fighting against Ukraine. Russia launched a full-scale invasion of its southern neighbor on February 22, 2022.
In related developments, an official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, stated that the families of two individuals killed while fighting for Russia are in Moscow to claim compensation, a process that is currently underway.
"However, claims previously submitted through the embassy have been stalled due to technical issues arising from the Western sanctions imposed on Russia." Since May 2024, Russia has ceased recruiting Nepalis to fight in Ukraine, the official said.
Meanwhile, it has been reported that the Russian government is requesting 11 additional DNA tests from families in Nepal to confirm the identities of those who are reportedly missing in the war.
| Name | Districts |
| Bikash Rai | Morang |
| Netra bahadur Thapa | Kaski |
| Udaya Raj Tharu | Rupandehi |
| Pritam Rai | Bhojpur |
| Lalit Singh Dobal | Darchula |
| Hem Kumar Magar | Kailali |
| Tara Prakash Gharti | Salyan |
| Lal Bahadur Buda | n/a |
All the photos are provided by Kritu Bhandari.
