The Kremlin’s decision to activate the CSTO alliance signals an entirely new approach in relations between Russia and its immediate neighbors
Gas for Russia’s Empire, Cash for the Elites
Behind the Kazakh protests lie a thuggish authoritarian state and a web of murky energy agreements that have made Russian and Kazakh elites wealthy.
The Colored Steppe
Whatever caused the uprising in Kazakhstan, its brutal Russian-backed suppression again shows Vladimir Putin has a free hand to act in the borderlands.
Emergency on the Steppe: Kazakhstan in Crisis
A delayed political transition between autocrats triggered a bloody fight amongst the Kazakh elite that nearly caused a state collapse.
Why Kazakhstan Exploded
The sudden eruption of protest and violence in Kazakhstan has been quelled by gunfire and hundreds of Russian troops. But profound underlying problems remain
Russia’s Warsaw Pact-Lite Deploys to Crush Dissent
For the first time in the organization’s history, the CSTO collective security article has been invoked in Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan: ‘Enlightened Authoritarianism’ Is in Flames
Kazakhs are demanding change, and while the failure of enlightened authoritarianism is a domestic issue, events are certain to reverberate.
China and Russia Build a Central Asian Exclusion Zone
China and Russia are about to introduce a new order in Central Asia while the West is preoccupied elsewhere
Why Borat Isn’t Funny
Baron Cohen’s film is a lot less funny if you are from a country that most outsiders cannot find on a map.
Post-Covid: Eurasia’s Opportunity
States in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe have a chance to build a strategic East-West corridor