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.
The Uzbek Minister of Agriculture has met with the Russian head of the Mordovia Republic, with both expressing desire to work together. The Uzbek Minister, Ibrokhim Abdurakhmonov, said that bilateral agricultural trade between Russia and Uzbekistan had grown by 31.7% In 7M 2026.
Russia has supplied wild Tigers to Kazakhstan’s Lake Balkhash nature reserve as part of a programme to re-introduce the species to the country. Kazakhstan’s Tiger population was declared extinct in 2003.
Russia has been developing a massive international railway strategy that includes multiple industrial development sectors and infrastructure across Central Asia, the Middle East, India, China, and deep into Southeast Asia on a scale little recognised. We deep dive the expansion of Russia’s railway development, how it is managing this, and the potential new routes that could become available.
The 2026 Uzbekistan-Bashkortostan Business Forum has just taken place in Ufa, Russia. With bilateral trade growing at 20% this year, we deep dive the relationship between Bashkortostan and Uzbekistan, the investments being made and the prospects of the two countries hitting US$30 billion in trade by 2030.
The VIII Russia-Kyrgyzstan Economic Forum has just finished in Issyk-Kul. With bilateral trade increasing by 25% in 2026, over US$800 million in investment agreements, and a further US$1 billion in development funds were agreed. We examine the future development of Russia-Kyrgyz trade and investments.
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Russia’s bilateral trade with Kazakhstan has increased by 15% in the first five months of this year. Russia accounts for 8.8% of Kazakhstan’s exports and 31.6% of its imports.
Russia’s online cinema screening service Wink has just entered the Tajik market, with locals able to access over 35,000 movies, TV series and cartoons via subscription.
Russia has resumed the import of gas from Turkmenistan for the first time since 2016. The move fundamentally alters Eurasian and Russian gas flows and bypasses the troublesome Black Sea region.
The Eurasian Development Bank, in which Russia is a major investor, is set to approve 11 new countries as members, mainly from the Middle East. This will help facilitate Middle East sovereign investments into Central Asia.
The Uzbeki Deputy Prime Minster has been discussing investment opportunities for Russia’s largest dairy producer in Uzbekistan. The country is a high dairy per capita consumer but still needs to import milk.
Russia is interested in investing in and developing rare earth mineral mining facilities in Central Asia, but is facing competition from the European Union and United States. That has morphed into an ideological struggle with Russia wary of Western ‘colonial’ political developments in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in particular.
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