Jizzakh resident sentenced to three years for joining Russian military in Ukraine war

A resident of Bakhmal district in Jizzakh region was convicted for participating in Russia’s war against Ukraine, Gazeta.uz reported, citing the criminal case reviewed by the Gallaaral District Criminal Court.

At the trial, the defendant, identified as B.M., said he had previously served in Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Defense. In 2010, he joined a military unit in Andijan region under the air defense forces. Until February 2018, he worked as a driver in several military units before leaving the armed forces for family reasons.

That same year, he traveled to Moscow for work and took construction jobs. After returning to Uzbekistan in May 2021, he went back to Russia in May 2023. Initially employed at a construction site, he later responded to an advertisement offering military service with the Russian Ministry of Defense in July due to financial hardship and job cuts.

B.M. signed a contract and began serving as a driver at a Russian military unit located in the forests near Tolyatti, Samara region. For three months, he underwent military training, including shooting practice with an AK-74 rifle.

In October 2023, he was deployed to the village of Mirnoye in Luhansk region, where he delivered fuel, food, and clothing. He claimed he did not take part in direct combat between Russian and Ukrainian forces.

His contract expired in July 2024. Shortly before that, he was informed that he would receive a Russian passport in May 2024. This was how he learned that he had been granted Russian citizenship, after which he obtained a foreign passport as well.

B.M. told the court that to conceal his identity and participation in the war, he deliberately tore and damaged the internal pages of his Uzbek passport.

During his service, he received monthly payments – 43,500 rubles for the first six months and 210,000 rubles for the next six months. With the money earned, he bought a two-room apartment in the Duminichi district of Kaluga region, Russia.

After his contract ended, B.M. returned to construction work in Moscow, continuing until February 2025. Citing reduced work volumes, he then signed another contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense.

This time, he was assigned to a military unit in Sevastopol region specializing in naval defense. His commanders instructed him on defending the base from drones launched from Ukrainian territory.

In March, he went to a military hospital in Moscow, citing a toothache, where he stayed for almost a month before purchasing a plane ticket from Moscow to Samarkand and returning home.

He was later detained in Uzbekistan following a report from a local resident who had learned of his service in the Russian armed forces.

According to the court ruling, B.M. had been awarded three medals during his service: “For Participation in Combat Operations,” signed by Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu; “For Bravery,” 2nd class, awarded by Russian President Vladimir Putin; and a “Special Forces” medal from his unit commander.

In court, B.M. fully admitted his guilt and expressed remorse. The court noted that obtaining citizenship of another country does not exempt him from criminal liability as a citizen of Uzbekistan but took into account mitigating circumstances such as his confession, remorse, four children, and elderly parents.

The crime was classified as a serious offense. The court sentenced him to three years and one month in prison under Part 1 of Article 154 (Mercenarism) and Paragraph “a” of Part 2 of Article 228 (Forgery, production, or use of falsified documents, stamps, seals, or forms) of Uzbekistan’s Criminal Code.

B.M. will serve his sentence in a general-regime penal colony.