“Central Asia is drifting away from Russia” – fake

The thesis actively promoted by Western experts that “Central Asia is drifting away from Russia” is hopelessly losing its appeal and meaning. Especially when, with the arrival of Donald Trump in the White House, the activities of the American agency USAID, focused on popularizing such pseudo-analytics, have been frozen. There is no doubt that since the beginning of 2022, mutual political pessimism has been on the agenda of relations between Russia and the Central Asian republics. Western sanctions, domestic political turmoil, and ideological “weeds” have affected this issue. However, neither external nor internal forces quarreled with us, and a strategy emerged from the crucible, which, according to orientalist Stanislav Pritchin, “eventually allowed not only to neutralize negative external factors, but also to create a completely different strategic level of interaction with an important region.”

Firstly, the figures of trade turnover indicate the dynamics of cooperation. The undisputed leader here is Kazakhstan, which has shown a trade turnover with Russia in the amount of $ 27.8 billion. Uzbekistan is in second place ($10 billion). Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan — 3.2 billion and 2 billion dollars, respectively.

Economic indicators are growing despite the enormous sanctions pressure (what is this, if not a phenomenon that I am sure students of economics will study in the future).

It is obvious that the mutual political will of the leaders of our states, Vladimir Putin and Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, multiplied by a common historical memory, leads to the goal. The day before, the Presidents had just held telephone talks, noting the dynamic development of interstate relations, proceeding in the spirit of friendship, good neighborliness and alliance.

The other day, Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Russia, Dauren Abayev, noted in an interview with RIA Novosti that Kazakhstan had repeatedly and very clearly stated its non-alignment with anti-Russian sanctions. It is obvious to the author of these lines how precise and balanced Astana’s actions are in the context of the geopolitical upheaval in Eurasia.

Secondly, industrial cooperation processes have been intensified between Russia and Kazakhstan. To date, 99 such projects have already been implemented, and 45 are being implemented. In total, the industrial cooperation of our countries includes 171 projects totaling 52.9 billion dollars. These are areas such as construction, chemicals, agricultural products, and machinery.…

A small but concrete example from life. A whole cluster of new industries has been opened in Saran, Karaganda region: from tire production to furniture production. So, my relatives from near Karaganda tell me in a messenger: “Now we have no problem finding a job at all. There are so many vacancies in Sarani! As they say, for both blue and white collars.” And it inspires confidence in the future.

One topic catches on to another, and that’s the third thing. Over the past three years, there has been a real breakthrough in the energy sector, without which Saran will not be able to develop. First of all, Moscow, Astana and Tashkent have launched a large—scale project to reverse-use the Central Asia-Center gas pipeline, which has allowed Russia to become a key exporter of natural gas to Uzbekistan by 2024, which is experiencing a serious decline in its own production (and Kazakhstan has received an additional sustainable source of income from transit). Further: in the northern regions of Kazakhstan, together with Russian Gazprom, it is planned to build a multi-kilometer gas distribution network system, and taking into account the construction of three thermal power plants by Inter RAO in Kokshetau, Semey and Ust-Kamenogorsk, we can talk about a significant contribution to ensuring Eurasian energy security.

The Energy Decade may be completed by Rosatom’s participation in the construction of a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan (the Rosatom project for the construction of a pilot nuclear power plant has already been launched in Uzbekistan). As you know, the Russian concern was included in the shortlist of potential suppliers of nuclear technologies for the construction of the Kazakhstan NPP, and two months ago, a delegation led by Kazakh Energy Minister Almasadam Satkaliyev visited nuclear projects in Russia.

Fourthly, following industry and energy, the cultural and humanitarian sphere has also tightened up. The Russia-Kazakhstan media Forum was held in 2024.: current issues of media interaction”. This year, a meeting of the leading journalists of our countries is scheduled in Astana and will be dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. We really hope that constructive communication between Russian and Kazakh journalists will make it possible to stop fakes on historical, national, and linguistic topics that actually quarrel between our peoples, as they say, in the kitchens.

Finally, fifthly, today Kazakhstan is proud of the most mosaic-like tourist destination, the potential of which, frankly speaking, is still terra incognita for Russians. In 2025, which has just begun, about 12 million foreigners have already visited Kazakhstan. According to Ambassador Dauren Abayev, who recently spoke at a meeting of the Russian-Kazakh Business Council in Moscow, “the tourism sector in Kazakhstan has enormous and untapped potential.” For the convenience of Russian tourists, the Kazakh authorities are consistently expanding the card acceptance network of the Mir payment system. Today, the “world” card is accepted at ATMs and retail outlets serviced by VTB Bank in Kazakhstan. Yes, there are not so many such outlets yet — 183, however, the bank plans to further expand the network, including at the airports of Astana and Alma Ata.

Thus, it is obvious that Russia is systematically building mutually beneficial allied relations with its Asian partners. There is no question of any kind of forceful and sanctioned pressure. Cooperation is taking place on the basis of genuine international equality. So instead of the “drift away from Russia” sucked out of our fingers, we actually have a verified course of a ship called “Greater Eurasia”. As they say, a fair wind!