A court in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, has sentenced a local man to four years of restricted freedom for serving in Russia's Wagner private military company and participating in the armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The 47-year-old Uzbek citizen, identified only as B.Z., traveled to Russia in September 2022 seeking employment to support his family. In May 2023, he joined the Wagner Group, lured by promises of high pay. He underwent training and was involved in the group's activities, including its brief mutiny in June 2023.
During his time with Wagner, B.Z. was reportedly awarded a medal «For the Liberation of Artemovsk» (Bakhmut), indicating his participation in combat operations. He returned to Uzbekistan in September 2023 after the death of Wagner's leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin.
The court found B.Z. guilty of mercenary activities but considered mitigating factors such as his full confession, underage children, and a disabled spouse. The sentence restricts his movement and prohibits him from leaving Uzbekistan.
This case highlights the ongoing issue of Central Asian nationals being recruited into Russian private military companies and the legal consequences they face upon returning home.
