One more Nepali youth serving in the Russian army has died while fighting in the Russia-Ukraine war.

The deceased has been identified as Sundar Moktan (32) of Naukunda Rural Municipality-5, Russia.

He had left for Croatia in August. According to Buddhi Moktan, a relative of the deceased, Sundar in October had said that he was in Croatia.

With this, the number of Nepalis who have died in the Russia-Ukraine war has reached 12.

Sundar, a former Nepali Army, had quit his job following the pressure of Maoist during the armed conflict.

He had also worked in the construction company to support his family.

After hearing the news, his wife Patali Moktan has also returned to Nepal from Oman.

Moktan spoke with her wife Patali for the last time on September 23.

Though the government claims to have intensified diplomatic efforts with Russia to address some of the key concerns surrounding the Nepali youths involved in the war, nothing has been done as yet to repatriate the youths. The government maintains that the Kremlin should have stopped the Nepalis from joining the Russian army in the first place. 

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said recently that approximately 200 Nepalis have been serving in the Russian army, but independent observers have said upon their return from Russia that the number could be much higher. Till date, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed the death of more than 10 Nepalis in the war.

In the wake of mounting deaths in the war, the Department of Foreign Employment has stopped issuing work permits to those seeking jobs in Russia and Ukraine.  The government seems to have no idea about the exact number of Nepalis fighting the war, the number of prisoners of war and the number of those injured in action.