A total of at least 93 nationals of Central Asian countries died as part of the Wagner Mercenaries Group in Ukraine, the BBC said in an investigation.
According to the BBC, 19 are Kyrgyzs, 34 Uzbeks and 40 Tajiks.
“Sometimes the families of the dead mercenaries manage to take their bodies home from Russia,” the report says.
Mirlan Akylbekov (not his real name), a lawyer and native of Kyrgyzstan who works in Moscow, described how he was recruited in Russian prisons.
“At first they just began to insistently demand. Like, there are some terms that you could be released in advance, get a pardon. And they consulted with us. But after September 28, they began to be enrolled mandatorily. The prisoners were separated - all the newcomers - Kyrgyz, Uzbeks, Tajiks were separated, they were put in a separate building and were demanded to sign [a contract]. And the arguments were: “Here, you eat here for free, but you have to work.” And you will need to go [to the war], and upon our return, they say, we will give you a pardon, and you will be free,” he said.
While, according to the BBC, 22 Wagner mercenaries were buried in Fryanovo near Moscow in February. Of these, 17 are citizens of Russia, two Kyrgyz, two Uzbeks and one citizen of Tajikistan. At the same time, it became known about a similar cemetery near Luhansk - there were 42 graves at the beginning of February.
Earlier in May of this year it became known that a 23-year-old Uzbek citizen died in the war in Ukraine as a result of a drone attack. His mother said that he was framed, imprisoned and sent to war.
In March, it was reported that a native of the Ellikkala district of Karakalpakstan, who was called up from a prison, died in Ukraine, where he was aprt of the Wagner group. The mother of the deceased said that his name was Fahriddin. As it became known, at the end of last year, communication with him was lost. Later, in January, his family members were informed that the man had died in Ukraine. A shell hit the place where he worked.
The Uzbek authorities often remind that mercenarism and entry into the service of foreign paramilitary structures are subject to criminal liability.
