Death of Uzbek fighting with Wagner in Ukraine made public, Tashkent changes tone

Uzbekistan may be in Moscow's orbit, but the country quickly distanced itself from what the Kremlin still calls a "special operation." And like other Central Asian countries, it is strongly opposed to Moscow's recruitment of its citizens for the war in Ukraine in exchange for good salaries and a Russian passport. Until yesterday, this firm opposition had remained muted. But the death of a man recruited from Wagner seems to have changed the situation. The Uzbek authorities have just released a video in which his mother testifies to the dangers of going to fight in Ukraine.

Wagner headquarters in St. Petersburg, Russia, November 4, 2022. © REUTERS/IGOR RUSSAK

Text by: Anissa El Jabri Follow

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From our correspondent in Moscow,

He was 23 years old, and like many poor Uzbek youth, he had gone to work in Russia to support his family. A worker in factories and then on construction sites, he had risen on his own to open a café and also become a private driver. "Trapped," his mother said through a bag of drugs placed in his belongings, he was then sentenced to 10 years in prison and then recruited from Wagner, "by force," he told her during their last telephone exchange.

Video made public by Uzbek authorities

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His last call was on September 10. He said, 'Mom, I told them I didn't want to put on a uniform, that I wouldn't kill people, that I wouldn't go there, but they forced me anyway.' My son, who never served in the army and never used weapons, was forced. From him, I received only half of his body, the upper part. It's very, very hard. I wouldn't wish this fate on anyone. Take care of your children, don't let them go.

In this video released by the Uzbek state security services, nothing is spared about the ordinary brutality of war: men humiliated and handcuffed on their knees, a man bleeding into the mud.

Signs of estrangement already in 2022

Uzbekistan, until now, communicated extremely little about its citizens who died fighting with Russian forces. Only a handful of deaths are officially known.

As early as March 2022, the country wanted to distance itself from the "special operation" launched by Russia. Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Komilov declared: "Uzbekistan recognizes Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity," while calling for a negotiated solution to the conflict as soon as possible. The head of Uzbek diplomacy also said that Tashkent does not "recognize the Luhansk and Donetsk Republics."

>> Also listen: How the war in Ukraine is reshuffling the cards in Central Asia

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• Russia
• Uzbekistan
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