On April 29, a criminal case was heard in the court of the Tortkol district (Karakalpakstan) against a 28-year-old Uzbek citizen who fought on the Russian side in the Russia-Ukraine war. According to court documents, he went to Russia for work in June 2019.

In August 2021, he was convicted under Article 228 of the Russian Criminal Code (drug offenses) and sentenced to 9 years in prison. While serving his sentence in a Tver colony in July 2025, he was recruited by Russian Defense Ministry officials and signed a one-year contract to fight against Ukraine.

He served as a grenade launcher operator in the 6th Army, participating in battles near Kupyansk, Kharkiv region, in August and November 2025, where he was wounded twice. After hospitalization, he returned to Uzbekistan and voluntarily reported to law enforcement.

In court, he fully confessed, expressed remorse, and offered to help repatriate other Uzbek citizens. The court considered mitigating factors: voluntary return, sincere repentance, being the sole breadwinner, and no prior criminal record in Uzbekistan.

He was found guilty under Articles 154 (Mercenarism) and 154-1 (Enlistment in foreign military service) of the Uzbek Criminal Code and sentenced to 4 years and 6 months of restricted freedom, to be served at his home in the Tortkol district.

Source: www.gazeta.uz