Crossroads Asia

Although Central Asians represent a tiny fraction of those removed from the U.S., the numbers have exploded over the last year.

For decades, policymakers have promised the same solutions, but implementation remains far behind the rhetoric.

Unexploded ordnance left over from the 2022 conflict pose risks to populations in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, even as the two governments finalize a border deal.

Despite similar interests and ambitions, China’s economic presence in the region outweighs India’s.

After waiting six hours, Gayrat Dustov couldn’t fill his tank. His anger landed him in jail for 15 days but engendered sympathy among the public. 

In trying to dissuade anyone from noting a “Chechen trace” in the events in Uzbekistan, Kadyrov made the connection even more difficult to set aside.

Power disruptions in Ulaanbaatar add more urgency to the government’s existing focus on energy reforms.

A Chinese statement noted that construction of the Kyrgyz section of the CKU Railway is scheduled to begin in July 2025 and last for six years.

How did I do on my outlook for Central Asia 2024? 

Russia’s substitution of VEB.RF with an under-the-radar firm is helping the country and its neighbors find a way around Western sanctions.

As the Ukraine war drags on, Central Asian nationals, including Uzbeks in Russia – particularly those in Russian prisons – are increasingly vulnerable. Can Tashkent protect their rights?

When he was extradited to Kyrgyzstan earlier this year, Matraimov was alleged to be connected to an opaque assassination plot. He just got off with a fine for hooliganism.