Rasul Kusherbayev questions Russian deputy's statement

Earlier, Sergey Mironov, chairman of Russia’s "Just Russia – For Truth" (Spravedlivaya Rossiya – za pravdu) party, criticized Uzbekistan's warning that its citizens should not be recruited for military service in Russia. He questioned why migrants cannot defend the country that "supports" them and suggested that Russia does not need such migrants. In response, Rasul Kusherbayev, adviser to Uzbekistan's Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change, as well as a public activist, posed a question to the Russian MP. He asked whether Russian diplomatic missions would remain silent if Uzbekistan sent Russian citizens working in Uzbekistan to fight in a war for the benefit of Uzbekistan.

"Because the Uzbek diplomatic office reminded its citizens of the norms established by Uzbek law, the threat of imposing a visa regime from Russia suggests that Russian politicians view Uzbekistan as a dependent state. Unfortunately, these remarks from a high-ranking politician reveal that Russia may be looking for reasons to strain relations with Uzbekistan," Kusherbayev wrote on his Telegram channel.

He also questioned Mironov directly, asking:

"If Uzbekistan sent Russian citizens working on its territory to fight in a war somewhere for the benefit of Uzbekistan, would Russian diplomatic missions remain silent? It’s important to remember that Uzbekistan also can impose a visa regime in return. I believe it has become clear who should be included on Uzbekistan’s list of unacceptable persons, following Zakharova," Kusherbayev added.

Previously, Alisher Kadyrov, Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis and chairman of the "National Revival" Democratic Party responded to Mironov’s statements, suggesting that Mironov and his relatives should be the ones protecting Russia. Similarly, Bobur Bekmurodov, chairman of the "Yuksalish" national movement and a deputy of the Oliy Majlis, remarked that "such aggressive rhetoric will only damage bilateral relations."

As a reminder, the Consulate General of Uzbekistan in Kazan has repeatedly warned citizens against participating in foreign military conflicts. According to Uzbekistan’s citizenship law, any citizen who serves in a foreign military risks losing their Uzbek citizenship following a decree from the President of Uzbekistan.

Additionally, under Article 154 of the Uzbek Criminal Code, illegal participation in armed conflicts or military operations abroad is considered a crime, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.