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
Taiwan’s political drama is paralysing its government
Domestic dysfunction plays right into China’s hands
An angry culture war surrounds Australia Day
Conservatives claim that wokeness is destroying the national holiday
The fate of a ranting driver raises doubts about the “new” Uzbekistan
It seems free speech is not so guaranteed after all
Indian politicians are becoming obsessed with doling out cash
Handouts are transforming the role of the state—perhaps for the worse
How to end the nightmare of Asia’s choked roads
The middle classes love cars but hate traffic
Can Donald Trump maintain Joe Biden’s network of Asian alliances?
Discipline and creativity will help, but so will China’s actions