Executive Summary: Saida Mirziyoyeva, daughter of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, was appointed head of Uzbekistan’s Presidential Administration in June, a move likely used to stabilize and guide the country’s political landscape after the previous head of the administration stirred discontent.  Mirziyoyeva avoids divisive issues and... MORE

The Caspian Sea, once considered a “Russian lake,” is becoming a more multipolar space. Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan have expanded their navies, built new security accords with each other, and increased cooperation with Türkiye. Russia has responded with naval cooperation with Iran, but this alliance... MORE

Executive Summary: A series of investigations and arrests across Eurasia has revealed a rise in international call center fraud operations, underscoring the increasingly transnational nature of cybercrime in the region. Russian-language cybercrime has historically avoided targeting Russia or members of the Commonwealth of Independent States,... MORE

Executive Summary: Turkmen migrants are facing increased restrictions on their freedom of movement, with countries such as Türkiye and Russia assisting the Turkmen government in cracking down on Turkmen citizens outside the country. Ashgabat has made moving abroad increasingly difficult for its citizens by arbitrarily... MORE

Executive Summary: Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine aimed to reassert dominance over the former Soviet space, but Ukraine’s resistance and sustained Western support have instead weakened Moscow’s influence in the region. Moscow’s war against Ukraine has led the former Soviet republics to pursue... MORE

(Part One) Executive Summary: Kazakhstan has awarded leadership of an international consortium to construct the country’s first nuclear power plant to Russian state-owned nuclear corporation Rosatom. At the same time, Astana is courting Chinese nuclear, uranium, and water infrastructure companies to counterbalance Russia’s role. Kazakhstan’s... MORE

Executive Summary: The Caspian Sea is becoming a site of geopolitical conflict as Russia is rapidly losing its dominance over the four other littoral states: Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan. Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan have been expanding their fleets and are now entering into security... MORE

(Part Two) Executive Summary: Kazakhstan has selected Russia’s Rosatom to construct its first post-Soviet nuclear power plant (NPP), despite earlier indications that China’s CNNC would win the bid. A second plant may still be awarded to CNNC. Environmental risks, particularly regarding Kazakhstan’s nuclear legacy, the... MORE

Executive Summary: Kazakhstan has awarded Rosatom the contract to build its first nuclear power plant, signaling continued collaboration with Russia while simultaneously exploring future partnerships with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and France for additional plants. Astana, under President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, is shifting from... MORE

Executive Summary: Turkmenistan has become more active on the international stage in the past few years, breaking from the borderline isolationist foreign policy that it pursued for most of its independent existence and attracting more attention from the major powers. Turkmenistan’s increased international presence is... MORE