The Karaulbazar District Criminal Court has sentenced 32-year-old Uzbek national A.O. for his involvement in military operations in Ukraine on the side of Russia.
According to case files, the man traveled to the Moscow region for work in September 2021. In March 2022, a Russian court sentenced him to five years in prison for theft. While serving his sentence at a correctional facility in Barnaul, he was recruited to participate in the war. A.O. testified that he was subjected to various forms of pressure and violence during this period, claiming he was forced to sign a contract without being given the opportunity to review its terms.
He entered into the agreement with the Russian Ministry of Defense in September 2025 for a one-year term. The defendant stated that he arrived in the Luhansk region in October 2025 for military training. On October 8, during drills, he sustained a gunshot wound to his right shoulder and was subsequently sent to a military hospital in Luhansk. After approximately 20 days of treatment, the man fled the facility and sought refuge at the Uzbekistan Consulate in Rostov, where he disclosed the full details of his situation to diplomatic staff.
Following the issuance of a return certificate by the consulate, A.O. flew back to Tashkent. The defendant noted that while he was promised a payment of 1.9 million rubles upon signing the contract, he never received the funds. In court, A.O. pled guilty and expressed deep remorse, citing his two minor dependents and his current health status while appealing for leniency.
Under Part 1 of Article 154 of the Criminal Code (Mercenarism), the court sentenced him to four years of restricted liberty. He is prohibited from leaving his residence except for work-related purposes. Additionally, he is barred from visiting cafes, bars, and restaurants, attending weddings or celebrations outside his home, changing his place of residence, or traveling beyond the borders of the Bukhara province.
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