Kyrgyzstan Authorities Detain Municipal Employees and Journalist Over Recruitment of Mercenaries to Fight Against Ukraine

In Kyrgyzstan, law enforcement authorities have detained municipal employees and a local journalist who are suspected of recruiting mercenaries to participate in the war against Ukraine.

The local branch of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported on this.

The detainees were brought to Bishkek, where the court decided to place them under arrest for two months.

Among them is Sergei Lapushkin, the chief specialist in the Information Support Department of Osh City Hall. He has been remanded in custody until June 17 by the decision of the Pervomaisky District Court.

A criminal case has been opened against Lapushkin under Part 1 of Article 416 of the Criminal Code of Kyrgyzstan, which provides for responsibility for mercenarism, punishable by seven to ten years of imprisonment.

He is also accused under Article 43 of the Criminal Code as an executor or accomplice in a crime committed by a group of individuals in premeditation.

As part of the same case, Natalia Sekerina, a local journalist and employee of the Osh branch of the Russian House, which is part of the Russian Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States Affairs, Compatriots Living Abroad, and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo), was also detained.

The detainees have ties to the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States Affairs, Compatriots Living Abroad, and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo) —a federal agency of the Russian Federation that supports the Russian diaspora abroad.

Foreigners in the Russian Armed Forces

In Russia, a draft law is progressing that would allow stateless individuals to officially enlist in the Russian Armed Forces.

Currently, foreign citizens already have the right to sign contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense, but their service is limited to positions within the ranks of privates and sergeants.

Meanwhile, due to the very small number of stateless individuals in Russia, the new measure will have an extremely limited impact.

Nevertheless, the Russian authorities continue to seek new ways to recruit volunteers for the military, aiming to compensate for losses and replenish personnel amid the prolonged war.