The Diplomat  |  Author

Catherine Putz

Catherine Putz

Catherine Putz is managing editor of The Diplomat.

Catherine (Katie) Putz is managing editor of The Diplomat.

She manages the monthly magazine as well as writing on Central Asia and Afghanistan. She writes on politics, security and culture in former Soviet spaces, particularly where they link to greater Asia. Katie also co-hosts The Diplomat’s Asia Geopolitics Podcast.

Katie is a graduate of the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce at the University of Kentucky, where she studied international security and Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, where she majored in history with a focus on U.S. diplomatic and conflict history. Previously, Katie worked in several positions at the Atlantic Council and as a communications consultant at the World Bank. She is a member of the Military Writers Guild and the National Press Club.

Get in touch with Katie on LinkedIn, or email.

Posts by Catherine Putz
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June 05, 2024

Does the Sanctioned Daughter of the Kremlin’s Press Chief Have a Kazakh Bank Account?

By Catherine Putz
A recent report suggests that Elizaveta Peskova may have registered for an individual identification number in Kazakhstan -- that in turn may have enabled her to access the Kazakh banking system.
June 03, 2024

Kazakh President Explains Decision to Take Taliban off Terrorist List

By Catherine Putz
The decision was announced back in December, but recently Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev remarked that it was made with “the understanding that this regime is a long-term factor.”

June 01, 2024

The New Reality of Energy Geopolitics in Eurasia

By Catherine Putz
With the so-called gas union, Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are engaging in opportunistic cooperation and flirting with dangerous new dependencies.

May 31, 2024

Former Almaty Police Deputy Head Detained in January 2022 Torture Case

By Catherine Putz
Kyrgyz jazz musician Vikram Ruzakhunov was detained, tortured, and forced to make a false confession amid the chaos of the January 2022 events. It’s yet to be seen if justice will be ultimately served.

May 29, 2024

Uzbekistan, Russia to Start Construction of Small Nuclear Power Plants

By Catherine Putz
Nuclear power cooperation between Uzbekistan and Russia appears to be back on track, albeit at a more limited scale than previously anticipated.
May 29, 2024

State Projects and Proxies: All the President’s Men in Kyrgyzstan

By Catherine Putz
A new OCCRP, Temirov Live, Kloop investigation finishes “the work of those who can longer do journalism in Kyrgyzstan” by uncovering a murky network of connections profiting from state projects.

May 21, 2024

Putin Goes to Beijing: Where the Russia-China Relationship Stands in 2024

By Ankit Panda and Catherine Putz
Are Beijing and Moscow moving beyond their "no limits" partnership?
May 20, 2024

South Asian Students Targeted by Angry Mob in Kyrgyz Capital

By Catherine Putz
The mob, apparently triggered by a video of a fight between foreigners and locals earlier in May, “went on a rampage” targeting mostly South Asian students while raging against illegal immigration.

May 18, 2024

Taking Stock of Russia-Central Asia Relations in 2024

By Ankit Panda and Catherine Putz
What do Russia and the Central Asian republics stand to gain from each other?

May 13, 2024

In Light of Photos, Kyrgyz Authorities Claim Detained Journalist Staged Her Own Bruises

By Catherine Putz
Bolot Temirov shared photos of the bruises he says his wife, Makhabat Tajibek kyzy, sustained in a Kyrgyz detention center in April. Prison authorities say they were inflicted by cell-mates at her request.

May 09, 2024

Kyrgyz President Raises Labor Mobility Issues in Moscow

By Catherine Putz
At a Eurasian Economic Union meeting, sandwiched between Putin’s fifth inauguration and the nationalistic May 9 display, the Kyrgyz president raised concerns about labor mobility in the EAEU.
May 09, 2024

Opportunities Grow in South Korea for Uzbek Workers

By Catherine Putz
As South Korea increasingly looks to migrant labor to address shortages in major industries, Uzbekistan is keen on providing workers.

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