Uzbek citizen who participates in the war in Ukraine may face imprisonment in Russia

Court hearings have commenced for Uzbek citizen Oybek Soliev, who faces charges of armed thuggery in the Russian city of Perm, according to reports from RBK. 

The investigation reveals that Soliev attempted to access the Northern Military District in Ukraine for a third time. He arrived at the local branch of the state fund, "Zashchitniki Otechestva," carrying a toy grenade that resembled an F-1 anti-personnel grenade.

While Soliev admitted to "improperly carrying this toy," he denied threatening the fund's employees. The 35-year-old stated that he had fought twice in Ukraine, resulting in damage to his right lung and both legs. His military ID, issued by the unrecognized Lugansk People's Republic, notes that he served in the People's Militia, and a hospital certificate indicates his rank as first lieutenant.

Included in the criminal case documentation was a copy of Soliev's Uzbek passport, which he reported was destroyed during the battle. 

Soliev traveled to Perm for rehabilitation after hospitalization in Rostov-on-Don. He signed a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense, hoping to return to the Northern Military District. While awaiting a response from military authorities, he worked as a welder and initially lived in hostels and abandoned houses before renting a residence.

Since June 6, 2024, Soliev has been in custody, facing felony charges. On the day of his arrest, he allegedly visited the Perm branch of "Zashchitniki Otechestva" in an intoxicated state. During a conversation with regional military officer Vladimir Nokhrin, he produced the toy grenade from his sports jacket pocket. Concerned for his safety and that of his colleagues, Nokhrin persuaded Soliev to speak with a psychologist. However, Soliev displayed the grenade again in the psychologist's office and later on the street in front of the fund's head, Konstantin Strogiy.

Soliev is charged with hooliganism, defined as a gross violation of public order and an act of open disrespect for society, which may lead to a prison sentence of up to seven years.

In a related case, an Uzbek citizen previously received a verdict for participating in Russia's military operations against Ukraine. According to court documents, this individual, born in 2001 in the Amudarya district of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, traveled to Moscow for work in December 2023. On February 5, 2024, he signed a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense to engage in military operations in Ukraine, being assigned the rank of "ordinary soldier" and the role of "shooter," alongside receiving special combat training.

On February 9, the young man escaped from the military camp and returned to Uzbekistan via a Moscow-Urganch flight, resuming his life in the Amudarya district.