Court sentences 20-year-old citizen for joining Russian military under contract

The Criminal Court of Karshi City reviewed the case of 20-year-old I.Z., who was charged with mercenarism.
 
According to case materials, in February 2024, I.Z. traveled to Saint Petersburg for work. However, after not receiving his salary for two months, he fell into debt. Through acquaintances, he was offered a job as a driver and cook at a military unit in Mytishchi. In June, he signed a one-year contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense for compulsory military service, with a monthly salary of 195,000 rubles, and agreed to participate in combat operations on Russia’s side.
 
He was then sent to a military training ground in the Luhansk region, where he underwent 14 days of military training. During that time, he was wounded in his right leg by an exploding military drone. According to him, the unit’s command did not provide medical assistance, and he had to pay 500,000 rubles out of pocket to be admitted to a hospital.
 
Later, he asked his unit commander for 15 days of leave to continue treatment but was denied. He then deserted the military unit and returned to Uzbekistan.
 
In February of this year, I.Z. voluntarily approached the State Security Service in the Kashkadarya region and submitted documents confirming his participation in the armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
 
The court found him guilty of committing a crime under Article 154, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan (Mercenarism) and sentenced him to four years of restricted freedom.