Photo: garant.ru
The Pakhtachinsky District Criminal Court sentenced a 27-year-old Uzbek citizen to three years in a general-regime colony for participating in military operations against Ukraine as part of the Russian armed forces, reports Uznews.uz, citing the court decision.
According to the case materials, the man, a native of Pakhtachinsky District identified as A. Kh., went to Russia for work in 2019. Two years later, he was convicted in Russia for illegal drug trafficking and sent to a strict-regime colony in Chelyabinsk.
While in detention in 2024, A. Kh. received an offer from Russian law enforcement authorities to take part in military operations against Ukraine. In exchange, he was promised early release, Russian citizenship, and a monetary reward. He agreed.
After his release, he underwent military training in Luhansk and was subsequently deployed in combat zones with the Russian armed forces, serving in Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Kursk regions. He was wounded in one of the battles and hospitalized in Moscow.
After completing treatment, in March 2025, he contacted the Uzbek embassy to obtain new documents for returning home. On March 28, A. Kh. arrived in Uzbekistan and voluntarily reported to law enforcement authorities.
In sentencing, the court considered several mitigating circumstances, including full admission of guilt and remorse, absence of prior convictions in Uzbekistan, difficult financial situation, and voluntary surrender.
A. Kh. was found guilty under Part 1 of Article 154 (“Mercenarism”) of the Uzbek Criminal Code. He will serve his sentence in a general-regime colony.
Several previous cases of Uzbeks being convicted under Article 154 have been reported. For instance, a 55-year-old man from Namangan was sentenced to two years for signing a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense and serving in the Russian army, while a 32-year-old from Bukhara region received a five-year sentence for participating in combat operations in Luhansk region.
