A 32-year-old resident of Namangan region has been sentenced for participating in hostilities on the side of Russia. The court found him guilty under Articles 154 („Mercenarism“) and 154-1 („Enlistment, recruitment for military service, service in security agencies, police, military justice or other similar bodies of foreign states“) of the Criminal Code.

The case began in 2021 when the Uzbek citizen went to Russia for work. There, he was sentenced to 9 years in prison on drug-related charges. To avoid imprisonment, he signed a contract and joined the Russian armed forces. After military training in Rostov and Luhansk, he was deployed to Donetsk region. In the combat zone, the mercenary was wounded multiple times, treated in hospitals, and repeatedly returned to the front.

In the summer of 2025, he deserted, managed to reach the Uzbek embassy in Rostov, and returned to his homeland. The investigation obtained irrefutable evidence of his guilt: photos and videos with weapons from the conflict zone were found on his mobile phone, and medical examinations confirmed combat injuries.

Despite the severity of the charges, the court sentenced him to 4 years of restricted freedom. The lenient sentence was possible due to mitigating circumstances: the defendant fully admitted his guilt, expressed remorse, and has five dependent children.

Source: podrobno.uz