In 2022, the Centre1 platform, led by Galima Bukharbaeva — once known as a human rights journalist — began publishing materials that justified Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. This marked an unexpected turn in her public biography, which began after the events in Andijan in 2005.
In May 2005, the Uzbek city of Andijan became a symbol of protest suppression: a group of armed men seized a local administration building and freed prisoners, after which the authorities opened fire on the crowd. According to official data, 187 people were killed; independent sources estimate the number of victims to be between 230 and 2,000. International organizations deemed the response by security forces excessive. At the time, journalist Galima Bukharbaeva, working for the Institute for War and Peace Reporting, was reporting live from the square — her testimony formed the basis of human rights investigations, and she was later forced to flee the country.
For nearly two decades, her name was associated with truth, press freedom, and criticism of authoritarian power. However, in 2022, her platform Centre1.com published a series of articles supporting the Russian invasion of Ukraine, calling for Uzbekistan to align more closely with Moscow and justifying the war. This investigation is based solely on an analysis of publicly available materials published on Centre1.com from February to April 2022.
Publications and Rhetoric
Articles published on Centre1.com in 2022:
- Justify Russia’s invasion;
- Call for closer alignment with the Kremlin;
- Use rhetoric about “fighting Nazism,” “liberation,” and “historical justice”;
- Criticize Ukraine, the West, and Uzbekistan’s neutral stance.
Most articles were personally authored by Galima Bukharbaeva and reflect a consistent political position contrary to her earlier human rights work.
| Article Title | Date Published | Key Message | Ideological Framework |
|---|---|---|---|
| Congratulations to Donbas! Next — the Liberation of the Entire USSR | 22.02.2022 | Donbas as the beginning of “liberation” across the post-Soviet space | Revanchism and “Russian World” ideology |
| Operation in Ukraine — Russia Alone Again Against Nazism | 24.02.2022 | Justifying the invasion as a “mission against Nazism” | Legitimization of war through historical myth |
| Why Central Asian Governments Don’t Support Russia | 04.04.2022 | Condemning neutrality, calling for alliance with the Kremlin | Pressure on regional elites |
| Stand with Russia Aiming to Restore the USSR! | 04.04.2022 | Calling on Uzbeks to join the war effort | Imperial mobilization and ideological enlistment |
| Ukrainian Bucha and Uzbek Andijan — Where Was the Real Massacre? | 05.04.2022 | Comparing tragedies and questioning Ukrainian testimonies | Relativization and discrediting of evidence |
| Chechen Warriors: Everyone Should Watch and Learn! | 06.04.2022 | Glorifying Kadyrov’s forces as examples of fighting spirit | Heroization of Russian military units |
| Grandmother with the USSR Flag — A Symbol of Ukraine’s Liberation | 08.04.2022 | Soviet imagery as a symbol of “liberation” | Aestheticization and emotional mobilization |
Note: All article titles are translated from Russian. The original versions were published in Russian on Centre1.com.
Call for “Liberation” Across the Post-Soviet Space
On February 22, 2022, Centre1 published the article “Congratulations to Donbas! Next — the Liberation of the Entire USSR,” in which Bukharbaeva claims that the liberation of Donbas is only the beginning. The article is presented as a statement from the “PAXTA” movement created by Bukharbaeva, in which she urges the Uzbek people to support the restoration of the USSR and praises Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin.
Direct Support for the Invasion
In the article “Operation in Ukraine — Russia Alone Again Against Nazism” (24.02.2022), Bukharbaeva repeats Kremlin narratives, asserting that Russia is forced to fight against a so-called Nazi regime in Kyiv.
“Russia… today enters the fight for truth and justice, once again fighting for all-Russian universal humanity,” she writes, justifying the Russian military invasion of Ukraine.
Call for Participation in the Conflict
In the article “Stand with Russia Aiming to Restore the USSR” (04.04.2022), published on behalf of the “People’s Power Movement of Uzbekistan ‘PAXTA’,” the author calls on Uzbekistanis to support the Russian military. She writes that “the strongest and bravest Uzbekistanis” could volunteer to help “defeat NATO on Ukrainian soil,” while others should “collect humanitarian aid” and “organize rallies and marches in support of Russian soldiers.”
Under Article 154 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan, participation of citizens in foreign armed conflicts is classified as “mercenarism” and punishable by imprisonment. The “I Want to Live” project in 2025 published a list naming over 1,100 Uzbeks who signed contracts with the Russian Armed Forces. More than 100 have already been confirmed dead.
From Relativizing Andijan to Justifying War
Particular attention should be paid to the article from April 5, 2022, in which the author compares the Ukrainian tragedy in Bucha with the massacre in Andijan. The article claims that the events in Bucha were staged, while Andijan was a “real massacre.” This comparison raises not only ethical concerns but legal ones as well: Bukharbaeva herself documented the brutality in Andijan, and the contrast drawn between these two events can be interpreted as an attempt to discredit international investigations.
Conclusion
The publications on Centre1.com from February to April 2022 document a clear ideological shift from a human rights-centered discourse to open support for Russian aggression. The authorship and editorial direction of Galima Bukharbaeva make her responsible for disseminating these narratives. Calls for Uzbek citizens to join the war, discrediting Ukrainian accounts, justifying the invasion, and criticizing neutrality — all sharply contrast with her previous image as a defender of free speech and human rights.
Author of the investigation: Marina Kozlova. All conclusions and interpretations are the result of independent journalistic analysis.
Legal Notice
All images, headline screenshots, and quotations in this material are used solely for the purposes of journalistic analysis, critique, and documentation based on publicly available sources from Centre1.com (February–April 2022).
The website Yep.uz does not support or endorse calls for citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan to participate in armed conflicts abroad. Such actions may be subject to:
- Article 154 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan (“Mercenarism”) — participation in, or encouragement to participate in, foreign armed conflicts;
- Article 150 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan (“War Propaganda”) — publication of materials justifying or promoting acts of aggression.
This article reflects the author’s position and is the result of an independent journalistic investigation. All conclusions and assessments are based on the analysis of open sources, in accordance with the principles of fair citation, freedom of expression, and journalistic ethics.