Namangan court sentences man for joining Russian army in Ukraine war

A man who fought in the Russian Armed Forces has been convicted in Uzbekistan after voluntarily turning himself in to law enforcement upon returning home.

Photo: Alex Vog

The Pap district criminal court found 49-year-old Sh.M. guilty of participating in foreign military service and engaging in mercenary activity.

According to case materials, in April 2025, Sh.M. traveled to Russia, where he signed a contract with the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and received the rank of private. After a short training course in Luhansk, he was sent to Ukraine to take part in combat operations. In May, he sustained injuries from a landmine explosion and underwent treatment in a military hospital.

Upon returning to Uzbekistan, Sh.M. voluntarily contacted law enforcement authorities and handed over his contract, military ID tag, and medical documents. Investigators established that he had received 1 million rubles for joining the Russian Armed Forces.

The court sentenced him to three years in prison under Article 154 of the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan (mercenary activity) and two years of correctional labor with a 20% income deduction under Article 154-1 (enlistment or recruitment for military service, or for service in security, police, military justice, or other similar bodies of a foreign state). Combining the penalties, the final sentence amounted to three years and one month of imprisonment.