Central Asian migrant workers in Russia

Central Asian governments have been meek in the face of Moscow's repeated targeting of the region’s citizens. 

Four people were detained in Osh on April 19 in connection with a case of mercenary recruitment.

Although Central Asians represent a tiny fraction of those removed from the U.S., the numbers have exploded over the last year.

As the Ukraine war drags on, Central Asian nationals, including Uzbeks in Russia – particularly those in Russian prisons – are increasingly vulnerable. Can Tashkent protect their rights?

Do Russian demands for stricter measures against labor migrants mark a shift in Moscow’s relationship with Central Asia?

Amid increased migration regulations and enforcement, the Kyrgyz government urged citizens to “temporarily refrain” from traveling to Russia unless they have “compelling reasons” to do so.

New bills speeding up the deportation process and insisting on military registration for new citizens are predicted to spark a “migration crisis” that will largely impact Central Asia.

The political, socioeconomic, and religious factors driving the radicalization of Central Asian and Caucasian Muslims in Russia are clearly domestic, rather than influenced by the West.

An interview with Malika Bahovadinova on the complexities of the Tajik migration experience in Russia.

Following the Crocus City Hall attack and a subsequent wave of xenophobia and discrimination toward migrants in Russia, Tashkent has introduced additional measures to support its labor migrants abroad and at home. 

The risks of Central Asian migrant workers being pressured into joining Russia’s war effort have intensified in tandem with Moscow’s desperation.

Less than half of Central Asians labor migrants are ready to return to their home countries a month after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.