Latest Articles about Central Asia

Call Center Scams Spread Across Eurasia

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

Turkmenistan Escalates Crackdown on Citizens Looking to Emigrate Abroad

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

Rosatom to Build Kazakhstan’s First Nuclear Power Plant (Part Two)

(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

Security Competition Intensifies on the Caspian

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

Rosatom to Build Kazakhstan’s First Nuclear Power Plant (Part One)

(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

Kazakhstan Reinforces Multivector Foreign Policy

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

Turkmenistan Becoming More Active on World Stage

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

Kazakhstan Aims to Modernize Military Through Multivector Diplomacy

Executive Summary: In response to shifting regional dynamics primarily driven by Russia’s war against Ukraine, Kazakhstan is reshaping its security posture by reducing military dependence on Moscow and prioritizing self-reliance, regional partnerships, and defense modernization. Astana is focusing on its role as a “middle power,”... MORE