Russia

Russia as a first destination for a Kyrgyz president is no surprise; it’s essentially tradition.

Uzbekistan launches trials of a Chinese vaccine, but purchases Russian vaccine.

The Russian presence in Central Asia, predicated on the threats from Afghanistan, stymies the political and economic development of the region.

The group has always been diverse in terms of economic, political, and security interests. Is it anything more than an ineffective talkshop?

Another diplomatic win for Russian bilateralism or a missed opportunity for one of Moscow’s regional multilateral institutions -- the Collective Security Treaty Organization?

In September, Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov again mentioned Russia’s participation in the long-delayed project.

China and Russia are partners in Central Asia, but their cooperative efforts are not as robust as they often claim.

With India-China tensions at a boil, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s foreign ministers are gathering in Moscow.

The states of the former USSR have taken divergent paths -- some congratulating, some condemning -- in response to the election and protests in Belarus.

Moscow is going to have to toe Beijing’s line as competition and pressure from Washington ramps up.

Ideally, India would exploit a split in Russia-China relations. But there’s no split to exploit and New Delhi is better off seeking strategic compatibility elsewhere.