The Almaty city court sentenced Kazakh citizen Timur Praliyev to five years of imprisonment. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
According to the information, Praliyev participated in Russia's war against Ukraine through the private military company "Wagner." Additionally, he served as a mercenary soldier in the African country of Mali within the same group.
According to court materials, Praliyev was recruited by Russia in the fall of 2022 and took part in battles in Ukraine starting from November of that year. He served as a communications specialist, participated in the battles for Bakhmut, and was awarded several medals on Russian territory.
In 2023, he obtained a Russian passport while retaining Kazakh citizenship. According to journalists, in 2024 Praliyev was sent to Mali as part of Wagner's activities.
This situation is linked to the relocation of the Kremlin-loyal faction of the group to Africa following Yevgeny Prigozhin's rebellion. They served in Mali until June 2025.
In the court decision, Timur Praliyev was found guilty of participating in foreign armed conflicts in Kazakhstan and was sentenced to five years of imprisonment as the minimum penalty. Article 172 of the Criminal Code of Kazakhstan is applied in such cases.
It is indicated that mercenaries can be held directly accountable under Article 170 of the Russian Criminal Code; however, this provision has not yet been applied in Kazakhstan. This case once again confirmed the firm position of Kazakh officials regarding their citizens serving in foreign military formations.
This situation is regarded as an important measure to ensure state security and the rule of law. Furthermore, the court decision demonstrates the country's commitment to combating violations and increasing the legal responsibility of its citizens.
