A Ukrainian state initiative has identified a significant number of Central Asian citizens serving with the Russian army, according to data released by the "I Want to Live" project. This initiative, part of the broader Ukraine-Central Asia Inquiry, sheds light on the recruitment patterns affecting the region.
The project reports it holds personal data on 12,666 individuals from Central Asia as of 2026, all of whom have signed contracts with Russia’s Defence Ministry. This figure represents a substantial increase compared to the previous year, when around 5,740 individuals from the region were identified.
Uzbekistan accounts for the largest share of these identified individuals, with 4,853 citizens listed as serving or having served. This highlights the particular pressures and pathways drawing Uzbek nationals into the Russian military.
Tajikistan ranks second among the Central Asian states, with 3,407 individuals identified by the project. Kazakhstan follows with 2,389, while Kyrgyzstan is listed with at least 1,439 nationals, indicating a broad regional involvement.
Turkmenistan shows the lowest figure, with 578 identified nationals, yet still contributing to the overall count. The data underscores a consistent, albeit varied, trend across the former Soviet states in Central Asia.
The "I Want to Live" project began publishing named lists of recruits from each country in 2025, aiming to increase transparency around the issue. This methodology provides a verifiable dimension to its claims, making the data more difficult to dismiss.
This issue remains particularly sensitive across Central Asia, given the region's complex geopolitical positioning. Governments frequently navigate a delicate balance between maintaining relations with Moscow and asserting national sovereignty.
Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, for instance, explicitly prohibit their citizens from participating in foreign armed conflicts. Both nations have pursued legal cases against individuals who returned home after fighting abroad, indicating the seriousness with which they view these breaches of national law.
Russia’s own efforts to replenish its military ranks have played a significant role in this trend. Alexander Bastrykin, Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia, articulated this approach at the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum last year.
He noted that authorities had identified 80,000 individuals who had avoided military registration within Russia. Bastrykin explicitly stated that approximately 20,000 of these "new Russian citizens" from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan were subsequently deployed to the front lines.
These remarks underscore a deliberate Russian strategy to integrate recent immigrants into its military apparatus. The identification and subsequent deployment of these individuals point to an increasingly active recruitment process targeting specific demographics.
Observers suggest that such measures, alongside other contract-based recruitment initiatives and financial incentives, are key drivers for the rising numbers. Economic conditions and existing migration patterns further influence individuals' decisions to join the Russian armed forces.
The broader migration trends from Central Asia to Russia provide a significant pool of potential recruits. Many migrants obtain Russian citizenship, making them eligible for conscription or contract service, often under conditions that can be difficult to refuse.
The sustained increase in Central Asian nationals within the Russian military presents complex implications for regional stability and bilateral relations. It highlights the ongoing challenges faced by Central Asian states in protecting their citizens from external conflicts while managing deep ties with Moscow.