Uzbeks in Russian army: Official death toll announced

The ’’I want to live’’ (’’Хочу жить’’) project, organized with the support of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense and the Main Intelligence Directorate, has published the names of 481 Uzbek citizens who were killed or went missing while serving in the Russian Armed Forces in the war against Ukraine. The list was posted on the project’s social media pages.

’’We have identified 481 Uzbek citizens who died while serving as Russian mercenary soldiers,’’ the report states.

According to the project, the actual number of those killed or missing could be several times higher. It adds that Uzbekistan currently leads the world in the number of foreign mercenaries serving in the Russian armed forces.

’’We know the names of at least 2,715 Uzbek citizens who have fought or are fighting against Ukraine, and their numbers are increasing year by year. In 2023, 498 Uzbeks signed contracts, and in 2024, another 941 did. In the first six months of 2025, nearly 1,300 Uzbek citizens joined the war alongside the Russian armed forces. Please note, these figures only include cases for which we have reliable information,’’ the project notes.

The report also states that Uzbekistan regularly ranks first among foreign military prisoners.

It is reported that in 2025, 1.8 million Uzbek citizens went to Russia. Most of them entered Russia as labor migrants, but not all were able to find work.

’’Migrant workers are considered the main raw material for Russian recruiters. Today, human trafficking is effectively legalized in Russia. The Russian Ministry of Defense rewards those brought in to sign contracts, essentially recruiting future suicide attackers. Recruiters, police officers, and investigators receive payment for every person enrolled in the war. No one cares about the quality of these individuals; the main concern is that they have two hands and two feet. This is why migrants from Central Asian countries are considered prime candidates. They can be persuaded, deceived with offers of citizenship, threatened with deportation, or intimidated with criminal charges. The most important thing is that the contract is signed,’’ the report states.

The project emphasizes that Uzbeks continue to serve as “cannon fodder” for Russia’s invading army.

It is worth noting that earlier, the ’’I want to live’’ (’’Хочу жить’’) project, organized with the support of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense and the Main Intelligence Directorate, had published the names of 902 Uzbek citizens who had signed contracts with the Russian armed forces to participate in the war against Ukraine.