KATHMANDU, March 25: Ukraine has requested Nepal to impose ban Russian nationals arriving in Nepal for mountaineering purposes as long as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues. 

The Embassy of Ukraine in India has written a letter to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation through the Nepali Embassy in New Delhi, India, to this effect. 

Ukraine's letter states that thousands of civilians, including hundreds of children, have been killed and around 10 million have been internally displaced by Russian armed attacks against their country.

The letter also reads, "It is a matter of grave concern to fly the Russian flag in the sacred and divine Nepali mountain as Russia is responsible for the ongoing merciless massacre in Ukraine.

“Their prsence in Nepal will not be welcomed by a majority of mountaineering teams from other countries,” the letter reads.

Nepal welcomed as many as 997 Ukrainians and 2,107 Russians in 2021. Following the conflict between the two countries, the number has been speculated to decrease this year. So far, 260 Russians and 41 Ukrainian nationals have entered Nepal in January and February 2022.  

Nepal was among the 141 UN members who had criticized the Russian aggression against Ukraine, voting in favor of a UN resolution on the Ukraine crisis at a rare United Nations General Assembly on March 2.

“Nepal supported Ukraine at the UN. Now Ukraine has asked Nepal to ban Russian climbers. What will the government do now?” asked a tourism entrepreneur who has been watching the developments closely. 

Meanwhile, officials of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, including the Spokesperson Tok Raj Pandey and information officer Tek Narayan Poudel were not available for a comment despite repeated attempts by Republica.

 
• Ukraine
 
• Nepal
 
• Mountaineering