Andijan Court Sentences Uzbek Citizen for Mercenary Activity
An Andijan district court sentenced a 27-year-old Uzbek man to three years in prison for fighting with Russian forces in Ukraine.
**Uzbek Man Receives Three-Year Sentence for Mercenary Actions by Andijan Court**
Kh. G., a 27-year-old Uzbek national, has been handed a three-year prison sentence for mercenary activity by the Oltynkul District Criminal Court in Uzbekistan's Andijan region. Details of the case emerged from court documents.
The individual's journey began in December 2022 when he traveled to Russia seeking employment, ultimately working as a courier in Kostroma. His situation took a turn in May 2023 when he was arrested after drugs were found in energy drinks he was transporting. A Russian court subsequently sentenced him to six years in prison in August 2023.
According to his testimony, Kh. G. endured physical and psychological duress while incarcerated in Russia. In 2025, he entered into a contract with the Russian Armed Forces and was subsequently transferred with other inmates to a military unit located in the Voronezh region.
He claimed he was promised 3 million Russian rubles for signing the contract, though he ultimately received 400,000 Russian rubles. After initial preparation, he was deployed to the Luhansk region alongside other servicemen, where he underwent 21 days of military training before engaging in active combat operations as part of an assault company.
In December 2025, a drone explosion near him resulted in severe head injuries, leading to his evacuation to a military hospital in the Moscow region. He testified to receiving monthly payments of 205,000 Russian rubles for his combat participation. Before his hospitalization, he managed to retrieve his Uzbek passport, citing the need to process compensation for his combat injuries.
In January 2026, Kh. G. sought permission to leave the hospital, using the pretext of purchasing personal items. He then proceeded to Domodedovo Airport, purchased a ticket, and flew to Tashkent on the same day.
Upon his return, he was apprehended by internal affairs officers in Andijan. Authorities recovered evidence from his mobile phone confirming his involvement in military operations, which was then presented to the court.
During the trial, the defendant fully admitted his guilt and requested leniency. The court found Kh. G. guilty under Part 1 of Article 154 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan (mercenarism) and sentenced him to three years in a general-regime penal colony.