Former Wagner Mercenary with Kazakhstan Passport Tried to Enter the U.S. Illegally

A man who claims to have Kazakhstan citizenship was detained at the US-Mexico border while attempting to enter the United States illegally. The U.S. prosecutors discovered that he had served in the Russian PMC Wagner, Orda.kz reports.

According to The Times of Central Asia, on January 4, a man named Timur Praliev was detained in Texas while trying to cross the border illegally. Praliyev testified that he served in the infamous Wagner PMC, a Russia-backed mercenary group that participated in the Russian-Ukrainian military operations.

On January 5, a criminal case was opened.

When questioned as to his citizenship, defendant stated that he was a citizen and national of Kazakhstan, who had entered the United States illegally on January 4, 2025, by crossing the Rio Grande River near Roma, Texas, the criminal complaint says.

Reportedly, when Praliev was caught, he had two passports: Russia's and Kazakhstan's, despite Kazakhstan not allowing dual citizenship. He also had seven thousand dollars, some of which were in Mexican pesos, and was carrying a drone in his backpack.

The prosecutor's office requested that the former mercenary be sentenced to 15 days in jail. Praliev admitted his guilt and received a more lenient sentence: the time he had already served in a migration prison while waiting for a decision on the lawsuit. 

According to American media, the defendant will remain in custody until his deportation. It is currently unclear whether the US will deport him to Russia or Kazakhstan.

Original Author: Nikita Drobny