Court Convicts Uzbek Citizen of Mercenary Activities in Ukraine

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The Criminal Court of Pap District in Namangan Region has found 49-year-old Sh. M. guilty of participating in foreign military service and mercenary activities.

According to the case materials, in April 2025, the man traveled to Russia, where he signed a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense and received the military rank of private. After a brief training period in Luhansk, he was sent to Ukraine to participate in combat operations. In May, Sh. M. was injured by a landmine explosion and underwent treatment at a military hospital.

Upon returning to Uzbekistan, he voluntarily contacted law enforcement authorities and handed over his contract, dog tag, and medical documents. The investigation established that Sh. M. had received a reward of 1 million rubles for joining the ranks of the Russian Armed Forces.

The court sentenced him to three years of imprisonment under Article 154 of the Criminal Code (mercenary activities) and two years of corrective labor with a 20% wage deduction under Article 154-1 (enlistment or recruitment for military service in foreign states). Taking the combined sentences into account, the total term was set at three years and one month of imprisonment.