Since early 2008 eight Kyrgyz citizens have been brutally killed in Moscow and St. Petersburg by members of local skinhead movements. All of the victims were male labor migrants from rural Kyrgyzstan who had come to Russia to find work. Besides the murders, over 30... MORE

The most salient features of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s February 6 address to the nation, presented at a joint session of government and parliament and broadcast on two national television channels, were its brevity and poor delivery. Occasionally interlacing his discourse in Russian with passages... MORE

Uzbekistan’s President Islam Karimov made an official visit to Moscow on February 6, responding to an earlier invitation from President Vladimir Putin. This was Karimov’s first trip abroad since his re-election in December 2007. The cordial atmosphere was well publicized and consistent with the continuing... MORE

The Kyrgyz Interior Ministry intends to ban public prayers at the central square in Bishkek during Islamic holidays. The ministry’s main rationale for its decision is that because Kyrgyzstan is a secular state, religion should be everyone’s private business as opposed to state-sanctioned public events.... MORE

Tajikistan’s defense and security structures, traditionally heavily influenced by Russian methods and Moscow’s assistance, depend on fresh intakes of Tajik conscripts to maintain their manpower levels. Potential conscripts are exposed to Russian military culture even before coming in contact with military recruiting centers or responding... MORE

Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev recently announced his intention to privatize the last remaining state enterprises, including major hydropower facilities, Kyrgyzgaz, and Kyrgyz Telecom. All of these enterprises serve nation-wide needs and contain considerable economic potential. However, given that Bakiyev’s new government is comprised mainly of... MORE

On January 23, addressing members of the Political Council of the ruling Nur Otan party, Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev announced several key personnel changes. Bakhitzhan Zhumagulov, the deputy chairman of the party, would be replaced by Adilbek Zhaksybekov, head of the presidential administration. Kairat Kelimbetov,... MORE

Kyrgyz leaders intend to reform the country’s police force, by decentralizing its organizational structure. Such reforms, if properly implemented, could create a useful additional network for gathering information designed to aid the authorities in combating terrorism. The announcement from Bishkek comes at a time when... MORE

As Uzbekistan’s President Islam Karimov was formally inaugurated for another term as the country’s leader on January 16, his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, lost little time extending his congratulations. "Your authority, energy, and determination will guarantee the further social and economic development of Uzbekistan," Putin... MORE

The relentless race to develop Central Asia’s energy reserves has now reached mountainous Kyrgyzstan. But as in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, it seems that Russia has largely beat out its foreign competition, concentrating on natural gas while allowing Western companies to scramble for the country’s... MORE