A former Russian mercenary was captured by U.S. Border Patrol agents near the city of Roma after he waded across the Rio Grande.
According to KVEO, Timur Praliev was reportedly carrying two passports—one from Russia and one from Kazakhstan—as well as $4,000 in U.S. cash and 60,000 Mexican pesos. Following a search of his backpack, Border Patrol agents discovered that he was also transporting a drone.
Praliev claimed to have previously worked for the Wagner Group, which is a Russian-backed paramilitary organization.
According to the criminal complaint against him, Praliev is a Kazakhstani national who was encountered by Border Patrol on January 4. He appeared in a McAllen courthouse on January 7.
Praliev pleaded guilty to the crime of illegally entering the country. U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Scott Hacker sentenced him to time served and imposed a fine.
Texas Scorecard reached out to Judge Hacker for comment on the current status of Praliev but had not received a response by the time of publication.
Recent statistics show that thousands of illegal aliens from hostile nations have already crossed Texas’ border over the course of the past year. According to a December 2024 report from a Texas House committee on hostile foreign threats to the state, nearly 2,000 Russians have been detained at the border since 2021.
“Migrants are increasingly coming from Russia, China, and Iran,” the report reads.
“Governor Abbott’s directives, and the recommendations in this report, make clear that protecting Texas from hostile foreign organizations requires a whole of government response,” it continues. “The Legislature should consider codifying the Governor’s policies to ensure that these requirements continue.”
