'Kremlin paranoia': Central Asia rejects Moscow's accusations of anti-Russia bias

TASHKENT -- Facing global criticism for its invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has been denouncing Central Asian non-governmental organisations (NGOs), media and thought leaders for allegedly turning their citizens against Russia.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin on the eve of the one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine accused the United States and European Union (EU) of increasing their contact with Central Asian nations, TASS reported.

"Our partners are told to condemn the special operation in Ukraine, join the illegal anti-Russian sanctions and reduce overall co-operation with our nation," he said, using the Kremlin's euphemism for the war in Ukraine.

Galuzin's remarks were published February 23, ahead of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's February 28–March 1 visit to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

The United States and EU are controlling bloggers and media outlets in Central Asia -- painting Russia as an enemy and promoting Russophobia, he said.

The West's chief goal is to "gain the approval of Central Asian states to deploy military infrastructure in the area", while at the same time to put an end to their co-operation with Russia and China, he added.

Galuzin did not name specific bloggers, media outlets or NGOs, nor did he mention Russia's own interest in building up its own military presence in Central Asia.

Galuzin's remarks are a sign of "Kremlin paranoia", Tashkent blogger Nurbek Alimov told Caravanserai.

Moscow sees enemies everywhere, he said, noting that in the case of Uzbekistan, citizens rightfully consider Russia an aggressor and view its "special military operation" as what it actually is -- war.

"The Russian laws against 'false information about the army' and so on don't apply here [in Uzbekistan]," Alimov said, pointing out that no Uzbek blogger or journalist needs foreign grant money to come to that conclusion.

"I've never received any foreign money," he said. "But at the same time I'm 100% convinced that in this war, Russia is the aggressor state while Ukraine is defending its soil."

This is not the first time Uzbek journalists have come under fire for what the Kremlin considers "inaccurate" coverage of the war it initiated.

In March 2022, shortly after Russia launched its assault on Ukraine, Russia 24 television host Robert Frantsev criticised Gazeta.uz and Kun.uz, as well as journalist and blogger Nikita Makarenko, for their coverage of the war.

In December, Russian Foreign Ministry official Alexander Sternik also sparked an outcry in Uzbekistan.

If Central Asian countries "even hint at rolling back their relations" or support the sanctions against Russia, Sternik said at the time, they could incur severe economic penalties.

А signal before Blinken's visit

Galuzin's statements were meant to send a signal before Blinken's visit to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, Bishkek-based journalist and analyst Adil Turdukulov told Caravanserai.

"At the last UN [United Nations] vote demanding the withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine, all the Central Asian countries abstained," he said, referring to a vote in February.

[Turkmenistan was absent.]

"Many people see that as cowardice, but that's not my interpretation," he added. "In this situation it's the most acceptable solution for them."

Moscow was hoping Tajikistan or Kyrgyzstan would vote no, he said.

But that did not happen.

"I think the Central Asian heads of state consulted with each other and co-ordinated this decision," Turdukulov said.

"To me, this sets a very important precedent: a large geopolitical region made up of five different countries is asserting itself as a bloc."

Even countries that out of expediency decided to stay neutral on Russia's invasion will breathe a sigh of relief when this fratricidal war ends, according to Tashkent-based political analyst Farkhod Mirzabayev.

"The Russian authorities are trying to justify their war, but their attempts are futile -- hundreds of thousands of their citizens are leaving Russia and migrating to countries including Uzbekistan," he told Caravanserai.

"Russian diplomats understand full well that their country is losing its influence in the world and is weakening economically and that its options are narrowing."

Instead of owning up to its fateful error, the Kremlin is levelling charges against its geopolitical adversaries, he said, claiming they are the ones plotting and turning "allies" against Russia.

"You constantly hear those kinds of statements," Mirzabayev said. "But the US secretary of state is being greeted as a welcome guest in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. That shows that all the accusations are nonsensical."

"Washington understands that we're in Beijing and Moscow's sphere of influence."

"On the one hand it's going to warn us not to try to bypass the sanctions and help Russia through parallel imports," he said.

"On the other, in order to avoid a financial crisis, it's offering the Central Asian countries some perks and prospects for staying afloat, which will eliminate an avenue to destabilisation within the region's countries," Turdukulov said.