On May 7, the Uychi District Criminal Court in Namangan region heard the case of 28-year-old citizen I.M., who fought on Russia's side in the Russia-Ukraine war. The court found him guilty under Part 1 of Article 154 (Mercenarism) of Uzbekistan's Criminal Code and sentenced him to 4 years of restricted freedom.
According to court documents, I.M. went to Russia in February 2020 for seasonal work. In November 2022, he was convicted of a drug-related crime and sentenced to 7 years in prison. To secure his release, he signed a one-year contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense on January 19, 2025. The contract promised a monthly salary of 130,000 rubles, a one-time bonus of 1.5 million rubles, a pardon, and the possibility of obtaining Russian citizenship.
Subsequently, he underwent 40 days of military training at a Russian Defense Ministry training ground in the Sverdlovsk region and began service with the rank of private. In early March 2025, he was deployed to combat operations in the Kursk region and participated in hostilities against Ukraine.
During combat, he was wounded in the legs by a drone explosion launched by Ukrainian forces. After treatment and leave, he contacted the Uzbek embassy in Moscow, obtained a certificate for return to the homeland, and returned to Uzbekistan on October 9, 2025.
A forensic medical examination revealed metal fragments in his left thigh and both legs, as well as traces of injuries from firearms or explosive weapons.
In court, I.M. confessed his guilt and expressed remorse. The court considered as mitigating factors his full confession, sincere remorse, lack of prior convictions, status as the sole breadwinner in the family, and having elderly parents dependent on him. Consequently, the court applied Article 57 (imposition of a more lenient sentence) and imposed a punishment not provided for by the article's sanction.
I.M. was sentenced to 4 years of restricted freedom, prohibiting him from leaving home during non-work or non-study hours. He will serve the sentence at his residence in Uychi district, Namangan region. He is also prohibited from changing his residence without permission from internal affairs authorities and from leaving Namangan region.
Source: www.gazeta.uz