Samarkand man jailed after forced heroin confession, then recruited to fight in Ukraine

September 21, 2026 at 08:01 PM2 min

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A 27-year-old man from Kattakurgan, Samarkand region, was sentenced to 12 years in Russia on drug charges he says were fabricated, then signed a contract with the Russian military to fight in Ukraine. He was arrested in a Vladivostok courtroom after speaking about his case.

Key Facts

A 27-year-old man from Kattakurgan, Samarkand region, was sentenced to 12 years in prison by the Vladivostok City Court on drug charges.
He claims police planted 15 grams of heroin in his pocket and forced a confession through two months of torture.
While serving his sentence in Krasnoyarsk, he signed a one-year contract with the Russian military on December 9, 2025, to fight in Ukraine.
He was arrested in a Vladivostok courtroom after testifying about his case.

Arrest and Conviction

A 27-year-old man from Kattakurgan, identified as A. Kh., traveled to Russia in 2023 seeking work. He was arrested on drug trafficking charges and sentenced to 12 years in prison by the Vladivostok City Court. The trial lasted from October 2023 to March 2025.

Alleged Fabrication and Torture

A. Kh. testified that he was falsely accused of drug trafficking and forced to confess after two months of torture. He said that while driving a taxi, he met a woman named Nadejda, who later asked him to drive her to Vladivostok. During the trip, two men in civilian clothes stopped them, took 15 grams of heroin from Nadejda's pocket, and placed it in his own pocket. The men then filmed the heroin as if it had been found on him and filed official documents.

Military Recruitment and Courtroom Arrest

While serving his sentence in Krasnoyarsk, Russian Defense Ministry officials promised him Russian citizenship, release from prison, and a large sum of money if he joined the war in Ukraine. On December 9, 2025, he agreed and signed a one-year contract. He was taken with 20 other men to a military airfield, flown to Rostov, and then sent to a military training ground with 65 others. He was arrested in a Vladivostok courtroom after giving testimony about his case.