Courts in the Andijan and Fergana regions of Uzbekistan have sentenced two citizens who fought in Ukraine as part of the Russian military's "Special Military Operation" (SMO). In both cases, non-custodial sentences were issued, Fergana news agency reports.
A 22-year-old resident of Fergana was tried in a court in the Qushtepa district. According to the investigation, in late 2022, the defendant traveled to Moscow to study at the private university "Synergy" while also working part-time.
In the summer of 2023, he was detained by police for migration document violations. He was given a choice: deportation with criminal charges or joining the army with the prospect of obtaining Russian citizenship.
The man opted to sign a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense, undergoing training in the Samara region. He initially earned 195,000 rubles (over $2,000) per month, which later increased to 350,000-400,000 rubles ($4,000) depending on mission performance.
Over four months, he participated in combat and was injured in February 2024 during a shell explosion. While recovering, he received a Russian passport, a medal for combat participation, and bought a car and an apartment.
In September, he left his military unit, citing a conflict with his commander. He returned to Uzbekistan via Kazakhstan and voluntarily reported his participation in the SMO to Uzbekistan’s authorities.
The court found him guilty of "mercenary activity" and sentenced him to five years of conditional imprisonment with a three-year probation period, considering mitigating factors such as his family’s financial hardships and his mother's illness.
A 39-year-old man from the Andijan region was sentenced to four years and two months of restricted freedom for similar participation in the conflict. He reportedly admitted to killing over ten Ukrainian soldiers during combat.
His sentence was reduced due to voluntary surrender and cooperation.
The man explained that he had joined the Russian Armed Forces for financial reasons, initially working as a butcher and then on an oil exchange before signing a contract for US$4,950 per month. Despite receiving partial payments, he returned to Uzbekistan in December 2023 and voluntarily turned himself in to authorities.
Both cases reflect the Uzbek judiciary's approach to dealing with citizens involved in foreign conflicts.
