KATHMANDU: Nepal said Monday that six citizens had been killed while serving as mercenaries in the Russian army and another had been captured in Ukraine, confirming that Nepalis are fighting for Moscow.

Kathmandu urged Moscow to stop the use of Nepali mercenaries and send any men serving back home.

Nepal’s foreign ministry said it had received information on the death of the “six Nepali citizens while serving in the Russian army”, and named another citizen “being held in Ukraine after being recruited into the Russian army”.

It did not specify where, how or when the six were killed.

The statement follows a warning in August urging citizens not to engage in security-related work in war-torn countries.

“The government of Nepal has requested the Russian government to repatriate their bodies to Nepal and compensate the victims’ families,” the ministry said.