Eurasianet
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Critical perspectives and on-the-ground reporting from the #Caucasus and #CentralAsia, with analyses you won't find elsewhere: 🔗 https://eurasianet.org/
With gunfire exchanges a seemingly regular occurrence these days along the #Tajik-Afghan border, the #Russia -led Collective Security Treaty Organization #CSTO has announced it will supply Tajik border troops with advanced weaponry.
Mounting worries on Tajik-Afghan border prompt CSTO action
Arms deliveries designed to bolster Tajik border guards’ performance
eurasianet.org
January 30, 2026 at 8:11 PM
With gunfire exchanges a seemingly regular occurrence these days along the #Tajik-Afghan border, the #Russia -led Collective Security Treaty Organization #CSTO has announced it will supply Tajik border troops with advanced weaponry.
Taken together, the changes dramatically expand government oversight of international funding while introducing lengthy prison sentences and heavy fines for violations. #Georgia
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January 30, 2026 at 6:58 PM
Taken together, the changes dramatically expand government oversight of international funding while introducing lengthy prison sentences and heavy fines for violations. #Georgia
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Eager to counter a spreading perception of unreliability due to financial woes, #Rosatom, Russia’s nuclear energy agency, is trying to double down on its construction promises to build up #Uzbekistan’s nuclear energy capacity.
Uzbekistan non-committal on Rosatom offer to build nuclear ‘cluster’
Russian nuclear entity trying to dispel perception of financial problems.
eurasianet.org
January 29, 2026 at 10:41 PM
Eager to counter a spreading perception of unreliability due to financial woes, #Rosatom, Russia’s nuclear energy agency, is trying to double down on its construction promises to build up #Uzbekistan’s nuclear energy capacity.
A report published by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Artificial Intelligence measures the country’s progress in shaping “a new digital reality” driven by #AI development. While #Kazakhstan leads in Central Asia on AI adoption, the report acknowledges that the country has a “mid-tier” standing globally.
Government report highlights artificial intelligence gains in Kazakhstan
Astana going on Data Center building binge.
eurasianet.org
January 29, 2026 at 7:51 PM
A report published by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Artificial Intelligence measures the country’s progress in shaping “a new digital reality” driven by #AI development. While #Kazakhstan leads in Central Asia on AI adoption, the report acknowledges that the country has a “mid-tier” standing globally.
The court of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) is considering a complaint brought by #Kyrgyzstan against #Russia, alleging that #Moscow is violating an #EAEU agreement by denying Kyrgyz labor migrants access to health insurance.
Eurasian Economic Union Court mulls potential landmark case concerning labor migration
A test of the court’s independence.
eurasianet.org
January 28, 2026 at 8:50 PM
The court of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) is considering a complaint brought by #Kyrgyzstan against #Russia, alleging that #Moscow is violating an #EAEU agreement by denying Kyrgyz labor migrants access to health insurance.
When Guldariya Sherizat staged a protest in #Kazakhstan over the arrest of her husband in neighboring #China, she did not expect to end up in the dock facing 10 years in prison.
Kazakhstan: Anti-China demonstrators face long prison terms after fiery protest
Astana brings criminal charges only after Beijing complains.
eurasianet.org
January 28, 2026 at 8:49 PM
When Guldariya Sherizat staged a protest in #Kazakhstan over the arrest of her husband in neighboring #China, she did not expect to end up in the dock facing 10 years in prison.
#Uzbekistan is pressing pause on the construction of the country’s first nuclear power plant, due to be built by #Russia’s atomic energy agency, #Rosatom.
Rosatom appears to hit speed bump in Uzbekistan
Central Asia Weekly Roundup.
eurasianet.org
January 27, 2026 at 5:23 PM
#Uzbekistan is pressing pause on the construction of the country’s first nuclear power plant, due to be built by #Russia’s atomic energy agency, #Rosatom.
Amid the #Uzbek government’s drive to overhaul the country’s economy, Tashkent’s long-standing aversion to foreign, proselytizing religious groups may be selectively easing.
Uzbek officials engage Mormon leaders
Tashkent appears to admire a ‘Utah model’ of development.
eurasianet.org
January 27, 2026 at 8:55 AM
Amid the #Uzbek government’s drive to overhaul the country’s economy, Tashkent’s long-standing aversion to foreign, proselytizing religious groups may be selectively easing.
#China solidified its position in 2025 as #CentralAsia’s top trade partner, with overall turnover topping $106.3 billion, a 12 percent increase over the previous year’s total.
China reinforces its trade dominance in Central Asia, but numbers don’t always align
China-Central Asia Monitor: Jan 16-22, 2026.
eurasianet.org
January 27, 2026 at 8:55 AM
#China solidified its position in 2025 as #CentralAsia’s top trade partner, with overall turnover topping $106.3 billion, a 12 percent increase over the previous year’s total.
Officials are in damage-control mode in #Georgia after the supposed unauthorized publication of a late 2025 state decree showing that the government’s reliance on #Russian natural #gas imports is growing and #Tbilisi is now paying more for Russian imports.
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January 24, 2026 at 4:22 PM
Officials are in damage-control mode in #Georgia after the supposed unauthorized publication of a late 2025 state decree showing that the government’s reliance on #Russian natural #gas imports is growing and #Tbilisi is now paying more for Russian imports.
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In mid-December 2025, several Russian state-controlled media outlets spread a rumor that #Russia could apply for membership in the #CentralAsian Community.
History Repeating Itself: Is Russia trying to ruin Central Asian integration efforts?
A partner post from the Central Asia-Caucasus Analyst.
eurasianet.org
January 22, 2026 at 6:48 PM
In mid-December 2025, several Russian state-controlled media outlets spread a rumor that #Russia could apply for membership in the #CentralAsian Community.
The #Azerbaijani state energy company #SOCAR has announced it is selling natural gas to #Austria and #Germany. But it remains an open question whether Baku can hit its promised target of delivering 20 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas to the European Union in the near future.
Azerbaijan starts gas exports to Austria and Germany
Lots of uncertainty lingers about Baku’s export ability.
eurasianet.org
January 22, 2026 at 6:47 PM
The #Azerbaijani state energy company #SOCAR has announced it is selling natural gas to #Austria and #Germany. But it remains an open question whether Baku can hit its promised target of delivering 20 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas to the European Union in the near future.
Security conditions along #Tajikistan’s border with #Afghanistan remain volatile, underscored by a January 18 firefight in which Tajik border troops reportedly killed four suspected Islamic militants.
More bloodshed along Tajik-Afghan border
Central Asia Roundup.
eurasianet.org
January 21, 2026 at 10:33 PM
Security conditions along #Tajikistan’s border with #Afghanistan remain volatile, underscored by a January 18 firefight in which Tajik border troops reportedly killed four suspected Islamic militants.
The New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy, a #Washington think tank, has launched an initiative to promote the emergence of a trade-oriented group of states in greater #CentralAsia that, ultimately, can stretch from the #Caspian Basin to the #Arabian Sea.
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January 21, 2026 at 10:24 PM
The New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy, a #Washington think tank, has launched an initiative to promote the emergence of a trade-oriented group of states in greater #CentralAsia that, ultimately, can stretch from the #Caspian Basin to the #Arabian Sea.
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#Chinese entities are making a push to expand joint ventures and corporate takeovers in #CentralAsia. In #Kazakhstan, the mining sector appears to be a focus of Chinese attention.
China expanding its business footprint in Central Asia
China-Central Asia Monitor: January 9-15, 2026.
eurasianet.org
January 20, 2026 at 8:55 PM
#Chinese entities are making a push to expand joint ventures and corporate takeovers in #CentralAsia. In #Kazakhstan, the mining sector appears to be a focus of Chinese attention.
The winter has turned particularly chilly for #Georgia’s political elite. And for some who have long enjoyed the comfort provided by power and money, the chill has set in abruptly.
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January 16, 2026 at 9:19 PM
The winter has turned particularly chilly for #Georgia’s political elite. And for some who have long enjoyed the comfort provided by power and money, the chill has set in abruptly.
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Anna Hakobyan, the wife of Prime Minister Nikol #Pashinyan, set social media aflame in #Armenia earlier in January, posting videos of her speaking #Chinese that drew over 2 million views in two days.
Lingua Sinica: Assessing limits of Chinese soft-power programs in Caucasus, Central Asia
Complexities of language create limits.
eurasianet.org
January 16, 2026 at 9:14 PM
Anna Hakobyan, the wife of Prime Minister Nikol #Pashinyan, set social media aflame in #Armenia earlier in January, posting videos of her speaking #Chinese that drew over 2 million views in two days.
The #UnitedStates is indefinitely suspending immigrant #visa processing for citizens of 75 nations worldwide. Most of the states in the #Caucasus and #CentralAsia are on the visa-suspension list.
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January 15, 2026 at 7:13 PM
The #UnitedStates is indefinitely suspending immigrant #visa processing for citizens of 75 nations worldwide. Most of the states in the #Caucasus and #CentralAsia are on the visa-suspension list.
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The #UnitedStates and #Armenia have agreed on an implementation framework to develop a trade corridor that is the centerpiece of the provisional #Armenian-Azerbaijani peace deal signed last summer in Washington. #TRIPP
US and Armenia unveil TRIPP development blueprint
US government would have controlling stake in joint venture.
eurasianet.org
January 14, 2026 at 10:45 PM
The #UnitedStates and #Armenia have agreed on an implementation framework to develop a trade corridor that is the centerpiece of the provisional #Armenian-Azerbaijani peace deal signed last summer in Washington. #TRIPP
When he was diagnosed with tuberculosis in 2016, Georgi, then a worker in his 40s for the municipal water company in Bishkek, knew little about the disease beyond some stereotypes and what he learned from a public awareness campaign in grade school.
A year on, USAID cuts leave gap in Central Asia’s fight against tuberculosis, HIV
Testing falls and support disappears, putting progress against diseases in doubt.
eurasianet.org
January 14, 2026 at 4:43 PM
When he was diagnosed with tuberculosis in 2016, Georgi, then a worker in his 40s for the municipal water company in Bishkek, knew little about the disease beyond some stereotypes and what he learned from a public awareness campaign in grade school.
#Azerbaijan rolled out the red carpet for a delegation led by Carl Kress, the regional director for #Eurasia of the #US Trade and Development Agency. Media reports characterized Kress’ talks with a variety of top Azerbaijani government officials as “constructive” but no specific deals were announced
US and Azerbaijani official discuss ways to get private sector involved in building out TRIPP
Trade discussions cover wide range of sectors.
eurasianet.org
January 13, 2026 at 9:20 PM
#Azerbaijan rolled out the red carpet for a delegation led by Carl Kress, the regional director for #Eurasia of the #US Trade and Development Agency. Media reports characterized Kress’ talks with a variety of top Azerbaijani government officials as “constructive” but no specific deals were announced
The #UnitedStates has added #Kyrgyzstan and #Tajikistanto a list of countries whose citizens must post a bond ranging from $5,000-$15,000 to apply for and receive #US visas. The two states join #Turkmenistan as states subject to tightened visa requirements.
Three Central Asian states now facing US immigration hurdles, at least one mulls possible retaliation
Caucasus-Central Asia weekly roundup.
eurasianet.org
January 13, 2026 at 9:19 PM
The #UnitedStates has added #Kyrgyzstan and #Tajikistanto a list of countries whose citizens must post a bond ranging from $5,000-$15,000 to apply for and receive #US visas. The two states join #Turkmenistan as states subject to tightened visa requirements.
China’s National Petroleum Co. (CNPC) is set to begin work on a sector, dubbed Phase Four, of #Turkmenistan’s massive Galkynysh gas field, according to a Turkmen government report.
Chinese company poised to expand production at massive Turkmen gas field
Ashgabat has export options.
eurasianet.org
January 12, 2026 at 9:39 PM
China’s National Petroleum Co. (CNPC) is set to begin work on a sector, dubbed Phase Four, of #Turkmenistan’s massive Galkynysh gas field, according to a Turkmen government report.
#China has launched a media blitz across #CentralAsia that portrays Beijing as a benevolent trade partner and the #UnitedStates and #EuropeanUnion as pernicious troublemakers.
China launches far-reaching image-crafting campaign in Central Asia
China-Central Asia Monitor: January 1-8, 2026
eurasianet.org
January 12, 2026 at 9:26 PM
#China has launched a media blitz across #CentralAsia that portrays Beijing as a benevolent trade partner and the #UnitedStates and #EuropeanUnion as pernicious troublemakers.
In a wide-ranging interview, #Tokayev, who has declared 2026 the year of digitalization and artificial intelligence, expressed satisfaction with the pace of change, emphasizing that #Kazakhstan’s rapid development of a cognitive economy is a vital matter of national security.
President proclaims Kazakhstan’s year of AI off to good start
Tokayev circumspect on critical minerals.
eurasianet.org
January 9, 2026 at 6:30 PM
In a wide-ranging interview, #Tokayev, who has declared 2026 the year of digitalization and artificial intelligence, expressed satisfaction with the pace of change, emphasizing that #Kazakhstan’s rapid development of a cognitive economy is a vital matter of national security.