Kazakhstani who fought for "Wagner" for Russia sentenced to 5 years in prison

The Almaty City Court sentenced Timur Praliyev, a citizen of Kazakhstan, to five years in prison. As the Orda portal writes, he was involved in Russia's war against Ukraine through the private military company "Wagner," and later served as a mercenary in the same group in the African country of Mali.

According to court materials, Praliyev was recruited by Russia in the fall of 2022 and has been involved in hostilities in Ukraine since November of the same year. He served as a communications specialist, participated in battles for Bakhmut, and was awarded several medals in Russia. In 2023, Praliyev also obtained a Russian passport while retaining Kazakhstani citizenship.

According to journalists, Praliyev was also sent to Mali as part of Wagner's activities in 2024. This is due to the fact that after the uprising of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the loyal part of the group was transferred to Africa. They are said to have served there until June 2025.

Timur Praliyev was found guilty of "participating in foreign armed conflicts" in Kazakhstan and sentenced to 5 years in prison. The Orda emphasized that this is the minimum penalty under this article. Article 172 of the Criminal Code of Kazakhstan establishes the application of such cases when they are committed "without signs of mercenary activity"; it is indicated that the mercenary person is directly prosecuted under Article 170 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, but the application of this norm has not yet been recorded in the practice of Kazakhstan.

This case once again demonstrated the firm position of the Kazakh authorities regarding the involvement of citizens in foreign military formations.