Nepal urges citizens living in Ukraine to return home

 

Nepal: As Russia-Ukraine tensions rise, Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged Nepalis not to visit Ukraine unless absolutely necessary.

Stating that the conflict between the two countries could turn into a war, the Foreign Ministry has also requested all Nepali citizens in Ukraine to return home after assessing the situation.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs requests the Nepali nationals residing in Ukraine to assess the current situation and developments there and return home using the available commercial flights unless they have to stay,” reads the statement issued on Wednesday.

The ministry has requested Nepalis to postpone the plan to visit Ukraine, unless absolutely necessary.

According to the ministry, more than 38 Nepali citizens are in touch with the Nepali embassy in Berlin, which also oversees Ukraine issues.

“All of them are safe,” reads the statement.

The ministry has requested them to contact Sahara Chaulagain, third secretary at the Embassy of Nepal in Berlin, and Sushil Ghimire, acting ambassador to Moscow.

According to Hari Malla, president of the Non-Resident Nepali Association in Ukraine, there are about 200 Nepalis in Ukraine.

“Most of the Nepalis in Ukraine are in transit and have been living in Odessa, Kiev, Kharkiv, Lutsk, Bila Tserkva and other cities. Some of them landed here after being tricked by human traffickers,” said Malla.

According to the data provided by the Department of Foreign Employment, in the fiscal year 2021-22, as many as 53 Nepalis including 47 men and six women went to Ukraine with individual labor permits. But the number of those who got institutional approval is zero.