Tajik soldier in Ukraine complains about Russian authorities

A native of Tajikistan complains that despite the completion of his contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense, he is not being allowed to leave Ukraine.

A Tajik serviceman currently in Ukraine, speaking on condition of anonymity on April 15, 2025, told Azda.tv that he signed a one-year contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense in February 2024 to participate in the war in Ukraine in exchange for Russian citizenship.

According to him, his contract ended in February, but despite the fact that two months have passed, he has not been allowed to leave the combat zone. He claims that he has written dozens of applications and letters to the prosecutor’s office and the Russian Ministry of Defense, but he has not even been granted leave.

He also emphasized that he suffers from severe psychological distress and has poor vision in his left eye. He has a medical certificate and a reference from the deputy company commander stating that he is unfit for further participation in combat operations.

Nevertheless, he claims that despite all this, he is being forced to sign a new contract to continue participating in the war in Ukraine with a Russian passport.

He stated that there are other natives of Tajikistan fighting in the ranks of the Russian armed forces who, like him, went to war for the sake of obtaining Russian citizenship, but despite the expiration of their contracts, they are not allowed to leave the combat zone.

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russian authorities have sent hundreds of natives of Tajikistan to the front. The media has already reported on the deaths of many of them.

Russia also offers citizenship and exemption from criminal liability to labor migrants and foreign prisoners in exchange for participation in the war.

If they refuse, migrants are deported or sent to the front by force and under pressure.

 The authorities of Tajikistan consider the participation of Tajik citizens in military conflicts in other countries as a criminal offense. Human rights and political organizations have repeatedly urged natives of Tajikistan not to succumb to the persuasion of Russian authorities and not to participate in the war.