Kazakhstan reportedly opened more than 700 cases in 2025 against those fighting for Russia

Kazakh authorities are prosecuting participants in the war in Ukraine: in 2025, local law enforcement agencies have opened a record number of more than 700 criminal cases against people who have joined Russian military formations.

Source: Mediazona, a Russian media outlet; the Farewell to Arms project; Radio Liberty

Details: As Mediazona reports, under Kazakhstan's Criminal Code, all defendants are deemed to have acted with "criminal intent" by participating in the war. This includes both those who signed contracts with Russia's Ministry of Defence and fighters from the Wagner Private Military Company.

According to estimates by Mediazona and BBC News Russian, nearly 200 citizens or natives of Kazakhstan have been killed in the war against Ukraine.

Until recently, the Kazakh authorities had limited themselves to issuing warnings about criminal liability, with the number of cases numbering under a hundred per year.

However, the situation changed sharply in early 2025 after the publication of the personal data of alleged mercenaries.

In April and July 2025, the Ukrainian project Khochu Zhyty ("I Want to Live") published lists containing the names of 1,200 Kazakh citizens who are fighting or have fought against Ukraine on Russia's side.

As a result, in 2025 the authorities opened a record 709 cases under the charge of "participation" and 28 cases for "mercenary activity".

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