Uzbek national says he “shot himself in foot” to leave Ukraine combat after Russia jail term

The man, from Uzbekistan’s Kashkadarya region, has since been prosecuted over his recruitment into the Russian army, according to court documents reviewed by Kun.uz.

Identified as D.R., born in 2001, he traveled to Russia in April 2022, where he worked as a private taxi driver in Moscow.

Police stopped his vehicle in September 2022 and found narcotic substances during a search, leading to his conviction.

“On October 30, 2024, officials at the correctional facility told me I would serve the remainder of my sentence in Uzbekistan and asked me to sign documents. As I do not speak Russian well, I signed them. I was then flown to a military unit to take part in combat operations against Ukraine,” he told the court.

He remained involved in the fighting until November 18, 2025, when he shot himself in the foot in an apparent attempt to escape. After being hospitalized, he left the facility, made his way to Moscow, and later returned to Uzbekistan with the diplomatic assistance.

He subsequently turned himself in to law enforcement authorities, expressing remorse.

Under a March 16, 2026, ruling by the Kasbi District Criminal Court, he was found guilty under Part 1 of Article 154 (mercenarism) and Part 1 of Article 154-1 of the Criminal Code, which covers enlistment in foreign military or law enforcement bodies. He was sentenced to 4 years and 1 month of restricted liberty.

In a separate case, authorities in Navoi region prosecuted another young man who decided to join the Russian army after losing money through online gambling.