The key facts

  • The court found R. B. guilty under Part 1 of Article 154 of the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan (mercenarism) and sentenced him to 3 years in a general-regime colony.
  • In 2022, a Russian court sentenced him to 9 years for drug trafficking; in August 2024 he signed a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense.
  • The defendant stated that he agreed to the contract under pressure, in exchange for early release and promised benefits.

Sentence for Mercenarism

The Yakkabag district criminal court handed down a sentence to a 28-year-old resident of Kashkadarya, known as R. B., accused of participating in an armed conflict on Russia's side. The court found him guilty under Part 1 of Article 154 of the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan (mercenarism) and sentenced him to 3 years of imprisonment to be served in a general-regime colony.

Path to the Contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense

According to the case materials, on October 9, 2021, the man went to Moscow to earn money. In May 2022, a criminal case for drug trafficking was opened against him, and a Russian court sentenced him to 9 years of imprisonment. In August 2024, while serving his sentence, R. B. signed a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense for military service. After 21 days of training, from August 2024 he participated in combat operations in the Kursk region of Russia.

Wounding and Return

In December 2024, the defendant received shrapnel wounds as a result of an attack by a Ukrainian drone. After treatment in military hospitals, he returned to Uzbekistan in February 2025.

The Defendant's Position

In court, R. B. stated that he went to war not of his own will. According to him, he was convicted of a drug-related crime with which he allegedly had no connection. He claimed that while serving his sentence, representatives of the Russian Ministry of Defense offered prisoners from Central Asia to go to war in exchange for early release, Russian citizenship, money, and a plot of land. The defendant said that he initially refused, but under physical and psychological pressure agreed to sign the contract.

Mitigating and Aggravating Circumstances

In imposing the sentence, the court took into account the defendant's remorse, his difficult family and financial situation, as well as the wounds he received. The man's previous criminal record was an aggravating circumstance.