Thirteen Uzbek Citizens Freed from Forced Labour in Ukraine

The Kyiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office has announced the release of 13 Uzbek citizens from forced labour, where they were held in inhumane conditions.

Ukrainian authorities detained two Chinese nationals, one Uzbek and a Ukrainian woman, suspected of recruiting and transporting people from Uzbekistan to Ukraine.

«The suspects coerced and deceived vulnerable individuals, targeting those without housing or work and in difficult financial situations,» the prosecutor’s office said.

Officials added that the suspects were recruiting outside Ukraine.

Those forced into labour were fined for the smallest infractions. According to investigators, the victims were aged between 22 and 42. Upon arrival in Ukraine their passports were confiscated and they were made to work on agricultural enterprises in the Kyiv region.

Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has lodged formal protests with Ukraine’s foreign ministry and the prosecutor general’s office, spokesperson Akhror Burkhanov confirmed. Embassy staff have travelled to the site to clarify the circumstances.

The ministry also issued a warning advising Uzbek citizens against travelling to Ukraine.