Photo: rg.ru
A man from Uzbekistan’s Andijan Region has been sentenced to prison for participating in Russia’s declared “special military operation” (SMO) against Ukraine. In early June, the Izbaskan District Criminal Court sentenced him to three years and one month in prison, Repost reports.
According to case materials, the 40-year-old defendant, identified as Kh. Kh., traveled to Saratov in 2019 as a labor migrant. In June 2024, he signed a contract with Russia’s Ministry of Defense and underwent military training. He then took part in combat operations in the Luhansk region and in the city of Vovchansk during July and August, where he sustained injuries. After receiving treatment in Russian military hospitals, Kh. Kh. illegally crossed the border and returned to Uzbekistan.
At the hearing, the man pleaded guilty and expressed remorse. He stated that he had obtained a Russian passport without renouncing his Uzbek citizenship.
The court found him guilty under three articles of Uzbekistan’s Criminal Code:
Part 1, Article 154 (“Mercenarism”),
Part 1, Article 154-1 (“Enlistment and Recruitment into Foreign Military Service”),
Part 1, Article 223 (“Illegal Exit from or Entry into Uzbekistan”).
Kh. Kh. will serve his sentence in a general-regime penal colony.
Earlier, another Andijan resident was sentenced to seven years and one month in prison for recruiting fellow citizens to join the SMO.
The Uzbek authorities and the national Muslim board have repeatedly warned citizens against involvement in the armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine. In recent months, more than a dozen Uzbek nationals have been sentenced to prison or restricted freedom under the article on mercenarism. Recently, claims circulated online that Senate Chair Tanzila Narbayeva had stated it was legal for Uzbeks to participate in the SMO. However, the Senate labeled these claims fake and warned that those responsible for spreading false information would be held accountable.
