Nepali man paid agent for “Europe” job, then died fighting for Russia

A Nepali man who sold his only truck to seek a better life in Europe has been confirmed killed while fighting for the Russian army in Ukraine, according to the Kathmandu Post. His family, left in mourning and debt, only received official word two years after he disappeared.

Nepali man confirmed killed in Ukraine after joining Russian army

The Kathmandu Post reports that 30-year-old Manoj Singh Bhatta died in combat after being recruited into the Russian army. Before leaving Nepal, he had worked as a truck driver and had bought his own truck through loans not long before that. He sold the vehicle to pursue what he told his family was an opportunity in Europe. However, he never revealed the exact destination.

Accompanied by a friend named Gopi Bista, Bhatta left Nepal and stayed in touch for about three months before going out of contact. The family only discovered much later that he had traveled to Russia and was recruited into its military.

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For Singh's relatives, the first sign of trouble came in April 2025, when reports surfaced that another local man, Arjun Bhatta, had died fighting for Russia in Ukraine. The family’s fears were further stoked in June, when the Russian Embassy in Nepal contacted them and requested Manoj’s mother to undergo DNA testing. The embassy confirmed his death on 1 January 2026, after her July sample matched.

Unable to repatriate the body, the family held a symbolic cremation on 4 January using an effigy made of kush (holy grass). The loss has placed enormous emotional and financial strain on the family. Relatives said Manoj had not only taken loans to purchase the truck, but also borrowed more to finance his journey abroad. 

Tricked by agents and sent to Russia

Manoj and Bista met an agent in Kathmandu who promised jobs in Moscow and collected about $5500 from each. The agent arranged documents and sent them to Moscow via Dubai. Relatives said the same agent had sent Arjun Bhatta to Moscow a week earlier. While Manoj had told his family he was going to Europe, Arjun claimed to be headed to Poland. Two of the three men — Manoj and Arjun — are now dead. Only Bista returned home.

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Survivor recalls military training and covert deployment

Bista recounted that upon arrival in Russia, they were recruited into the army and taken to Rostov for training under a one-year contract. He said that a separate unit of 48 Nepalis was formed, and their passports and mobile phones were seized.

Bista said he spent nearly a year deployed, often without adequate food. After developing eye issues, he was sent for a medical checkup and used the opportunity to escape to the Nepali embassy in Moscow.