Central Asian countries are subtly distancing themselves from Russia
Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has not gone down well in the region’s capitals
ON CITY STREETS, say visitors to Almaty in Kazakhstan, to Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan and to Tashkent in Uzbekistan, a change in the ethnic mix makes it feel surreally as if the Soviet Union has been reconstituted. Since Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, invaded Ukraine in February, huge numbers of Russians have fled, many ending up in the former Soviet states of Central Asia.
This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Tightrope act”
From the October 22nd 2022 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from Asia
America recreates a warfighting command in Japan
The threat from China hastens the biggest military transformation in the Pacific in decades
Taiwan is beefing up its military exercises to counter China
The island’s new defence minister wants more practice and less performance
Sheikh Hasina faces her biggest crisis in years
Bangladesh’s prime minister shuts down the country
A weakened Narendra Modi subsidises jobs and doles out pork
The prime minister has had to compromise after a disappointing election
Is this a new age of warrior Japan?
The country is spending more on its armed forces. But not everyone is on board
The epic bust-up between China and India could be ending
Witness calm in the Himalayas, diplomatic charm offensives and thickening trade links