Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — A citizen of Uzbekistan, I.J. (born 2004), has been convicted in the city of Karshi for participating in the armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

According to the court ruling, on 23 February 2024, he flew to Saint Petersburg in search of seasonal employment. After several unsuccessful job attempts and facing unpaid wages, I.J. was referred by an acquaintance to someone who offered him work at a military base in the Moscow region.

Initially, the proposed duties were to involve driving or food preparation. Upon arrival, he stayed in a hotel, eventually signed a one-year voluntary contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense, and was deployed to the Luhansk region. There, he underwent two weeks of military training and served in a military unit.

In July 2024, I.J. sustained a shrapnel injury to his leg caused by a drone explosion. He claimed that the unit's command failed to provide adequate medical care and demanded 500,000 rubles for a referral to a military hospital. After paying the amount himself, he spent 13 days receiving treatment in a hospital in Belgorod. Attempts to contact the Uzbek embassy were reportedly unsuccessful.

Following a refusal for extended medical leave, he deserted the unit in September and spent several months in various countries, including Tajikistan and the UAE. He was later detained by military police in Moscow. After a second attempt to redeploy him to the front, he escaped and returned to Karshi in December 2024.

In February 2025, I.J. voluntarily presented himself to the regional office of the State Security Service (SGB), confessed his actions, and submitted evidence of his participation in hostilities.

The court found him guilty under Article 154 of the Criminal Code (mercenarism), taking into account his remorse, young age, and voluntary surrender.

He was sentenced to four years of restricted liberty, with mandatory residence at his registered address and a prohibition on leaving Kashkadarya Region except for work or study. His passport has been transferred to the migration service.