Ukraine publishes list of over 1,000 Uzbeks recruited into Russian army

The “I Want to Live” (Khochu Zhit’) project, affiliated with the Ukrainian government, has revealed information about 1,100 individuals who signed contracts with the Russian army and participated in the war against Ukraine. According to the authors, this list is incomplete — if ethnic Uzbeks currently fighting in Russian ranks were also counted, the number could reach several thousand.

The “I Want to Live” initiative is a coordination platform for those seeking to surrender and become prisoners of war. It operates with support from Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense and Main Intelligence Directorate and primarily handles voluntary surrenders of soldiers from the Russian and Belarusian armed forces.

“Although Uzbekistan has suspended its membership in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), this has not prevented the government from turning a blind eye to its citizens being recruited into the Russian military,” the report claims.

The list of 1,100 individuals does not include those captured by Ukrainian forces. It only includes Uzbek nationals who are currently or were previously involved in military operations under contract with the Russian army, including those who have died or whose contracts have expired.

The list contains full names, birthdates, dates of signing contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense, military ID numbers, and — for 109 individuals — dates of death.

The organization did not disclose how it obtained data on these 1,100 individuals.

Most of the listed recruits are Uzbek citizens between the ages of 25 and 50.

At least 109 people on the list have died. Their ages range from 21 to 62. One individual reportedly died just eight days after signing a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense.

“The recruitment of Uzbeks into the Russian Armed Forces mirrors the pattern seen among Tajik nationals. The flow of migrants from Uzbekistan to Russia shows no sign of slowing. The Russian government appears content to use them as cannon fodder. These individuals are being ‘encouraged’ to sign contracts through threats of raids and deportations,” the statement said.

Despite repeated warnings from the Uzbek government since the beginning of the war urging its citizens not to join foreign armies, the Ukrainian side noted that the lenient court sentences issued to mercenaries raise serious questions.

“According to domestic law, joining a foreign military is a crime punishable by five to ten years in prison. Since 2023, Uzbek courts have handed down several verdicts against citizens who joined the Russian military, but most of these sentences have been suspended or involved restricted freedom — even in cases where defendants admitted to killing dozens of Ukrainians,” the statement added.

The organization expressed hope that the Uzbek government would assist in stopping its citizens from being recruited into the Russian army. The project also called on those already serving on the frontlines to contact “I Want to Live” to surrender and save their lives.

The list published by “I Want to Live” has not been independently verified by Kun.uz.