A list of Uzbek mercenaries — citizens of Uzbekistan who fought in the Russian army and were killed or went missing in Ukraine — has been published by the Ukrainian project ‘I Want to Live’. According to the project’s authors, the list includes only those whose deaths or disappearances have been reliably confirmed.
“This list is not complete — the actual number of the dead and missing is probably several times higher. We have identified 481 Uzbek citizens who died while serving as mercenaries for Russia,” the team reported.
According to the project, Uzbekistan currently ranks first among all foreign mercenaries in the Russian army. The authors say they have identified at least 2,715 Uzbek citizens who have fought or continue to fight against Ukraine.
Their estimates show that in 2023, 498 Uzbek citizens signed contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense, in 2024 — another 941, and in the first six months of 2025 — nearly 1,300. The project emphasizes that these are only confirmed cases and the real number is likely higher.
Among foreign prisoners of war, according to “I Want to Live”, Uzbek citizens also consistently rank first.
The project explains this by large-scale labor migration: in 2025 alone, 1.8 million Uzbekistanis arrived in Russia. Most are labor migrants, but not all find legal employment. The authors note that Russia is in dire need of “assault meat” — people sent to the front lines without proper training.
According to the project’s assessment, labor migrants have become the main resource for Russian recruiters. In Russia, there is effectively a system resembling human trafficking: intermediaries — from military officers to police — receive payments for each person recruited under contract. Candidates are not vetted; the only requirement is physical fitness for combat.
Uzbekistanis, like other citizens of Central Asia, are especially vulnerable to such schemes. According to the project, they are often deceived with promises of civilian jobs or threatened with deportation or criminal charges to force them to sign contracts.
The authors stress that while the authorities of Uzbekistan may conduct awareness campaigns among citizens traveling to Russia for work, these efforts are insufficient, and Uzbekistanis continue to become the “assault meat” of the Russian army.
I analyzed the list — the vast majority of the killed and missing citizens of Uzbekistan held the rank of private, with a few corporals and sergeants, and isolated cases of warrant officers and sailors. The years of birth range from 1962 to 2004.
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