Uzbek citizen sentenced to five years for participation in Russia's invasion of Ukraine

A 51-year-old local resident has been sentenced to five years in prison in Uzbekistan for mercenary service in the Russian forces. The convict signed a one-year contract with the Russian Ministry of Defence, but ended up only fighting for a day.

: Gazeta.uz, an Uzbekistani news outlet

: A court in Uzbekistan's Fergana Oblast convicted 51-year-old Alisher Khalikov, who came to the Russian city of St. Petersburg in search of work.

In November 2023, he beat his employer, who did not pay him his salary, and was then detained by the police. Right in the police station, under threat of criminal prosecution, he signed a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defence.

: "The lawyer who came to defend him at the police station offered him a drink, and he agreed. Then the lawyer explained that beating was a crime punishable by up to five years in prison and suggested that he take part in the war against Ukraine to avoid responsibility."

: After two months of training, he was sent to the battlefield and crossed the Ukrainian border on 4 February. In the first minutes of his participation in the fighting, the convoy of military equipment he was in came under attack from a drone. Khalikov was seriously injured and taken to hospital in Moscow.

After his discharge, he was dismissed from service and offered Russian citizenship, which he refused and returned to Uzbekistan. He was paid 800,000 roubles (just over US$8,000) for signing the contract and sustaining an injury.

On 4 July, Khalikov returned to Uzbekistan. He was found guilty under Article 154.1 of the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan (enlisting in the military service, security, police, military justice bodies or other similar bodies of foreign countries) and sentenced to five years of imprisonment.