A second Kyrgyz citizen, who was part of the private Wagner mercenary group, has been detained on a charge of taking part in Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, relatives and several sources told RFE/RL.
The 27-year-old man from the Naryn region of north Kyrgyzstan, left the country for Russia in 2020. Russian police arrested him in 2021 on suspicion of carrying drugs and he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
The father of two, whose identity was not disclosed, was detained on August 1 after returning from Russia, according to his wife.
“My husband was detained under false accusations. He was always complaining about the poor condition of the Russian prison and was forced to join Wagner. He went to fight in Ukraine and in July, his contract ended,” she said.
Wagner, a private Russian mercenary group, has recruited tens of thousands of prisoners in Russia to bolster its ranks. The recruits are promised clemency if they complete a six-month stint with Wagner, which recently pulled its troops out of Ukraine after a short-lived mutiny against Russia’s military leaders.
Central Asian-born migrants, either with or without Russian citizenship, have emerged as key targets of Russia’s military recruitment drive, either through Wagner or a partial mobilization announced by President Vladimir Putin last September.
Relatives of the Kyrgyz man arrested have appealed to the local court for his release to house arrest. A court hearing has been set for August 28, local officials said.
Kyrgyz authorities have urged citizens to avoid participating in military activities abroad as it violates the country’s Criminal Code. Citizens found guilty can face up to 10 years in prison.
In May, a Kyrgyz citizen was sentenced to 10 years for joining Russia-backed separatists fighting in Ukraine’s eastern region of Luhansk. The 31-one-year-old Kyrgyz man was found guilty of being a mercenary.
Investigators say the man joined the separatists in June 2022 shortly after Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine and fought against Ukrainian armed forces until his discharge in November.
Source : RFERL
