Citizens of Tajikistan are fighting in Ukraine more than those from other Central Asian countries

Among the citizens of the member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the largest number of participants on the side of the Russian army in the hostilities in Ukraine are citizens of Tajikistan.

This is reported by the Ukrainian state project “I Want to Live.”

According to data, by the beginning of 2025, the names of 931 citizens of Tajikistan who signed contracts with the Ministry of Defense of Russia in 2023-2025 have been confirmed. Thus, Tajikistan ranks first among the countries of Central Asia. Following are Kyrgyzstan (361 people) and Kazakhstan (666 people). The list does not include the names of Tajiks who have been captured.

Among the names released by the project’s authors, the deaths of 196 have been confirmed. According to this data, the youngest at the time of death had just reached adulthood – he was 18 years and 3 months old. The oldest contractor is currently 70 years old. The shortest service period from signing the contract was 7 days – he died exactly after that many days.

The authors claim that the average lifespan of a contractor is approximately 140 days.

“We urge the authorities of the Republic of Tajikistan, as well as other CSTO countries, to pay attention to the recruitment of their citizens into the Russian army and hope for assistance in this matter,” the message states.

The authors of the project also reminded all foreigners who intend to fight for Russia that for Russians “they are merely expendable material.”

“No matter what the recruiter or military commissar promises you, it is not worth risking your life in someone else’s war far from home. You will surely be deceived and sent to your death,” the message notes.

One of the prisoners of war, Khushvaht Firuzaliev, a citizen of Tajikistan, stated that “law enforcement officers and military commissars deceive Tajiks, threaten them with deportation or intimidate them, forcing them to sign documents that they are unable to read.”

The project authors emphasized that the main reason why citizens of Tajikistan are heading towards certain death is poverty.

“Tajikistan has the lowest GDP per capita among all former Soviet countries. This causes streams of migrants to Russia, seeking a better life,” the message states.

The Ukrainian state project “I Want to Live” is a project of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, created with the support of the Ministry of Defense and the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine. The main goal of the project is to assist servicemen of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus who wish to voluntarily surrender.

The complete list published by the project “I Want to Live”: