Another Uzbek national detained in Russia

The Karasuk District Court of Russia’s Novosibirsk Region has ordered the detention of a citizen of Uzbekistan on charges of organizing illegal migration. According to the prosecution, the suspect and his accomplices sold fraudulent contracts to at least 270 foreign nationals via the internet. The information was reported by the press service of the region’s courts of general jurisdiction.

“The Karasuk District Court of Novosibirsk Region considered an investigator’s motion regarding Mas’udali Khidirov, a citizen of the Republic of Uzbekistan, who is accused under Article 322.1, Part 2, Clauses ‘a’ and ‘d’ of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which concern organizing illegal migration by a group of persons acting in prior conspiracy,” the statement said.

According to investigators, Khidirov acted as part of a group that had conspired in advance. The group allegedly prepared fake civil-law contracts and sold them online to at least 270 foreign nationals, including citizens of countries that are members of the Eurasian Economic Union.

The court ordered Khidirov to be held in custody until February 28, 2026. If found guilty, he could face up to seven years in prison.

It is worth noting that on January 21 this year, a panel of judges of Russia’s 2nd Western District Military Court sentenced Uzbek national Ahmad Qurbonov to life imprisonment for carrying out a terrorist attack that killed Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov.

According to investigators, on December 17, 2024, Ahmad Qurbonov, a citizen of Uzbekistan, acting on instructions from the Security Service of Ukraine, placed an electric scooter rigged with a remotely controlled explosive device at the entrance of the building where General Kirillov lived. Afterward, the perpetrator entered a rented vehicle and livestreamed the events to Ukraine. When General Igor Kirillov and his aide, Major Ilya Polikarpov, exited the building, an explosion occurred, killing both officers.