Central Asia News & Analysis

Central Asia

Russia-Central Asia 2025 showed growth volumes surpassing US$45 billion and Russian energy (gas, LPG) exports significantly up, driven by Central Asian states balancing ties with Russia and China. Key developments include increased Russian gas & LPG supplies, new integration initiatives like CIS+ formats, and Central Asia’s multi-vector foreign policies amidst sanctions pressure, highlighting Moscow’s continued economic push despite competing global interests. Master the business environment of Central Asia with a Russian focus. Analyze EAEU market integration, investment projects, and trade dynamics for businesses operating in or with this strategic region.

Asia Aviation Routes
Featured March 14, 2026

Russia’s Eurasian Relations Pay Dividends As New Russia-Southeast Asia Aviation Routes Open Up

The Iran conflict has cut off Europe from its normal Southeast Asian aviation routes, yet Russia has been able to call on regional members of the Commonwealth of Independent States, BRICS, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, as well as its new Asian diplomatic strategy, to reroute flights to the east and use Eurasian connectivity to access Southeast Asian tourist destinations. This move could ultimately open up new transport hubs in Central Asia to service these markets in problems persist in the Middle East.

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Iran Conflict
March 1, 2026

US-Iran Conflict: The Impact On Russia  

As readers will be well aware from reports elsewhere, the United States, in conjunction with Israel, has attacked Iran. We will make some initial observations, but generally speaking will not be focusing on this conflict (as is also the case with Ukraine) for the following reasons: We can however make some initial observations as regards […]

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Margarine Norway
February 28, 2026

Norway Buys Margarine From Russia For The First Time

Russia’s Pivot To Asia has taken a tentative look back over its shoulder to the West as Norway appeared among the buyers of Russian margarine for the first time in 2025, according to the Russian Agroexport Federal Center. Margarine products worth more than 21 million krone (€1.86 million) were shipped to the Norwegian market, Agroexport […]

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Kazakhstan Polymer
February 23, 2026

Russian Polymer Manufacturer To Set Up Production in Kazakhstan

The Russian company MK-Polymer , a resident company of the Seversk development territory in the Tomsk Region, supplied a batch of ethylene-propylene rubber to Kazenergokabel, the largest cable factory in Kazakhstan, and conducted operational tests on it, the company said. The joint work was aimed at testing the use of new materials in cable production. […]

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Central Asia Main
February 21, 2026

Russia’s New Entrepreneurs—Expanding Into Central Asia

Part Two of a Seven-Part Series in which we document the rise of the new outbound Russian entrepreneurial investor. From 2022 onward, Russia’s entrepreneurs and companies have been reshaping their foreign economic engagements in response to geopolitical realignments. As Western sanctions constrained access to traditional Western markets, Russia’s business community began to seek deeper footholds […]

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DagestanKabulAgreement
February 17, 2026

Russia-Afghanistan Trade Breakthrough As Dagestan & Kabul Sign Agreements: Analysis

The Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) has held meetings with a Russian trade delegation from Dagestan to discuss strengthening bilateral trade and economic cooperation. This follows reports from several media outlets that on February 14, the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) announced the signing of five commercial agreements worth a total […]

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KazakhstanAktau
February 12, 2026

Russia To Open Consulate In Aktau

Russia will open a Consulate General will open in Kazakhstan’s Aktau, according to a decree signed by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and published on the official legal information website on Wednesday (February 11). Its opening and maintenance costs will be funded “through budget allocations to the Russian Foreign Ministry envisaged in the federal budget […]

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Afghanistan
February 2, 2026

Russia–Afghanistan Bilateral Relations: February 2026 Update

Afghanistan’s Ambassador to Russia, Gul Hassan, has made several statements concerning developments between Russia and Afghanistan and with the wide regional world. Speaking to media on Monday (February 2), he said that Afghanistan would resume participation with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and Kabul considers it appropriate to resume active participation in its work. Afghanistan […]

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