Uzbek citizen was arrested for participation in the Ukraine war

An Uzbek citizen, who traveled to Russia and participated in the war against Ukraine for financial gain, has been sentenced to three years in prison. This was reported by the "Zamon" informational program.

According to documents, the defendant, hailing from the Bulungur district of the Samarkand region, was recruited into the Russian armed forces in exchange for material benefits while working in St. Petersburg in 2023. As a citizen of Uzbekistan, he was not a citizen or military serviceman of the conflicting state.

During his time in Russia, the man participated in military operations against Ukraine and was granted Russian citizenship. He underwent military training to engage in armed conflicts between the two countries.

"They said they would give you a passport. Then they mentioned that you could walk freely and do whatever you wanted. Who wouldn't love an offer like that? They assured us that we wouldn’t face any restrictions and provided us with a military ID while allowing us to retain our Uzbek citizenship," the defendant stated.

He was injured during various attacks in October 2023 and subsequently returned to Uzbekistan. Upon checking his phone, authorities discovered a military certificate indicating his enlistment in the Russian Armed Forces, a document confirming his injury in a military hospital, and photographs of his Russian citizenship passport.

The Jomboy District Criminal Court found the defendant guilty under Article 154-1 of the Criminal Code (which pertains to entering or being recruited into foreign military or similar services) and Article 57 (concerning the imposition of a lighter sentence), sentencing him to three years in prison to be served in a general order colony.

It is worth noting that reports have emerged indicating that staff in Russian prisons are allegedly pressuring Central Asian inmates, including Tajiks and Uzbeks, to sign contracts to participate in the war against Ukraine.