Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Uzbekistan has responded to the remarks made by Sergey Mironov, the leader of the "Fair Russia — For Truth" faction, who expressed dissatisfaction with the call from the Consulate General of Uzbekistan in Kazan urging citizens to refrain from joining the Russian army.

Mironov stated, "The Consulate General of Uzbekistan in Kazan called on Uzbeks to avoid military service in Russia. Why was there no call to refrain from receiving maternal capital? Not to benefit from other privileges? This is acceptable! But defending the country that supports you is not allowed. A visa regime! That’s it! We don’t need such ‘citizens.’"

Alyisher Kadirov, leader of the "Milliy Tiklanish" party and deputy in the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis, emphasized that "Uzbeks earn their living through hard work, not violence."

"Defending Russia is a matter for Mironov, his sons, sons-in-law, and grandchildren. As far as I know, Russians also consider defending their homeland a sacred duty, just like Uzbeks do," noted the parliamentarian.

Bobur Bekmurodov, a deputy from the UzLiDeP party and chairman of the national movement "Yuksalish," stressed that Uzbekistan will never agree to its citizens participating in military conflicts.

"Our consulate has every right to protect its citizens from actions that are considered illegal in Uzbekistan, and this is absolutely fair. Moreover, our compatriots make significant contributions to the Russian economy through their labor and pay taxes. Comparing social benefits with actions that threaten people’s lives is a manifestation of ignorance and absurdity," added Bekmurodov.

He also referred to Article 7 of the treaty "On Allied Relations" between Uzbekistan and Russia, which states that "the parties shall take effective measures to protect the legitimate rights and interests of citizens and legal entities of one party on the territory of the other party."

"In Uzbekistan, laws are enforced. And in Russia, they should be enforced too, Comrade Mironov. Such aggressive rhetoric only worsens bilateral relations," noted Bekmurodov.

According to former deputy and current advisor to the Minister of Ecology Rasul Kusherbaev, the threat of a visa regime from Russia in response to the Uzbek diplomatic mission’s reminder about legal norms indicates that Russian politicians perceive Uzbekistan as a dependent country.

"Unfortunately, such statements from high-ranking politicians show that the Russian side is looking for a reason to sever relations with Uzbekistan. If Uzbekistan were sending its citizens working in Russia to fight for its interests, would the Russian diplomatic missions remain indifferent?" Kusherbaev questioned.

He also reminded that Uzbekistan has the right to impose a visa regime against Russia on symmetrical grounds.