Central Asia

The crushing of protests in 2022 spawned despair. A high-profile conviction has renewed hope that the law can actually bring justice.

Putin’s political project rests on normalizing violence—including domestic abuse.

Violence and war are shaping Moscow’s brutal response.

A summit of opposition leaders was meant to produce a plan to fix Afghanistan’s trajectory. It generated more infighting and factionalism.

Tokayev is maximizing his opportunities by balancing Russia, China, and the West.

Moscow’s war in Ukraine has created an opening for Washington as a new great game heats up

Things have been bad for decades, but the Taliban threaten to make them worse.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s reforms, which were meant to usher in a new era for the key Central Asian country, appear to have stalled.

In Central Asia and the Caucasus, the Wagner rebellion has exposed Russia’s fragility.

As Russia and China grow closer, Central Asian leaders don’t have as much leverage—or independence—as they once did.

Across Central Asia, Russia’s brand is tainted by Ukraine, China’s got challenges, and Washington senses another opening.

Forgetting the site where Russia became a nuclear power comes with its own risks.

One year on, events in Kazakhstan that cemented its president’s grip on power remain shrouded in mystery.

Central Asians used to flee the Soviet empire’s periphery for Moscow. Russia’s mobilization has sent escaping Muscovites in the other direction.

Viewing recent conflicts in the Caucasus and Central Asia through the lens of Moscow’s political calculus overlooks important internal dynamics.