23-year-old man from Uzbekistan killed in Ukraine war

According to the State Security Service, 23-year-old Sh. Tojiboyev lost his life during combat operations in Ukraine.

Reports indicate that Tojiboyev had traveled to Russia for work, where he opened a café and purchased a car. However, while transporting people to the Russia-Ukraine border, he was caught with heroin in his car and subsequently imprisoned in Russia. During his prison term, he was mobilized to fight in the ongoing war in Ukraine. Tojiboyev was killed in the conflict, and his body has been repatriated to Uzbekistan.

The deceased’s mother expressed her grief, emphasizing that her son had no military training and did not even know how to handle a weapon.

“My son told me, ‘Mother, I don’t want to serve, I don’t want to kill anyone, I don’t want to go, but they are forcing me,’” she said, recalling her son’s words.

The mother confirmed that her son’s body had been returned to Uzbekistan and urged other parents to protect their children.

“I wouldn’t wish this day on anyone. Take care of your children. Don’t assume they’re just going to work abroad — it could lead to something far worse,” she warned.

Since the war in Ukraine began, numerous reports have emerged about Russia’s Wagner Group recruiting prisoners to fight on the front lines. The group allegedly promised inmates that serving six months in the war zone would absolve them of their crimes, leading to amnesty and freedom. Recruits reportedly included not only Russians but also foreign nationals.

Under Article 154 of Uzbekistan’s Criminal Code, recruiting for armed conflicts or military operations on foreign soil for financial or personal gain is punishable by 5 to 10 years of imprisonment.

Article 154-1 further stipulates that Uzbek citizens who voluntarily serve in the military, police, security forces, or similar bodies of foreign states may face fines of up to 300 times the base calculation rate or up to three years of corrective labor. If found guilty of enlisting in foreign military services, citizens may face 3 to 5 years of restricted freedom or imprisonment.