A court in Bishkek on May 16 sentenced a Kyrgyz citizen to 10 years in prison for joining Russia-backed separatists in Ukraine's eastern region of Luhansk. The 31-one-year-old Kyrgyz man, whose identity was not disclosed, was found guilty of being a mercenary. Investigators say the man joined the separatists in June 2022 amid Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine and fought against Ukrainian armed forces until his discharge in November. The defendant pleaded not guilty, insisting that while in the Luhansk region he did not take part in military operations. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service, click here.
