The Crisis in Kazakhstan, the most violent in its post-soviet history, was caused by fuel price hikes. Protesters surged into the streets in the largest city, Almaty, after the fuel price doubled overnight due to the removal of price controls. Kazakhstan has many underlying issues with widespread inequality and wealth concentrated in the hands of…
Igor Denisov: The Diplomat: 18th of January 2022 The Kazakhstan Crisis has reinforced the regional power dichotomy in Central Asia. Russia exercises security influence through its leadership in the Collective Security Treaty Organisation. China’s influence is more economically focused through its Belt and Road Initiative. Whilst CSTO troops have left, Russia’s prestige in the region…
Anatol Lieven: Responsible Statecraft: 10th of January 2022 Russia has hinted that there is American involvement in Kazakhstan’s troubles. These hints are in line with a standard Kremlin narrative that was formulated after the 2004 orange revolution in Ukraine. It posits that the US seeks regime change by interfering in Civil society. Howeverthere is no…
Anatol Lieven: Responisble Statecraft: 3rd of January 2022 Ukrainian Neutrality may be one of the only ways left out of the current Geopolitical crisis in Eastern Ukraine. Whilst Ukraine has been tredning towards the west in recent years, it is still has many necessary reforms to conduct before it can be considered for EU membership.…
Sergey Sukhankin, The Jamestown Foundation – 8 June 2021 According to this article on The Jamestown Foundation, a number of flaws in Moscow’s Asia strategy have meant their ‘Pivot to Asia’ has not gone as planned. The author states that “the much-praised Sino-Russian partnership is in many ways a one-sided deal. Since 2014, while Beijing…
Julian Ryall, South China Morning Post – 8 June 2021 A fatal collision between a Japanese trawler and a Russian ship has caused a diplomatic dispute between the two countries as Japan arrests a Russian sailor charged with the deaths of the three fishermen. Russia responded by seizing a Japanese boat. James Brown, a professor…
Nikkei Asia – 5 June 2021 Russian President Vladimir Putin recently said at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum that “Both Russia and Japan share a strategic interest in concluding a peace treaty” and that both countries are “ready to continue negotiations”. This comes during a continued dispute over the sovereignty of a group of…
Muzaffar Rizvi, Khaleej Times – 5 June 2021 Experts analysing the recent visit of Sergey Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister, to Islamabad say that there is strong potential for Russia and Pakistan to develop a closer political and economic relationship if they can overcome their long-standing rivalry. Read the full article here.
Isaac Stone Fish, The Washington Post – 26 May 2021 According to this article on The Washington Post, the popular supposition that China and Russia are close friends is too simple. The author mentions a frosty history between the two nations and Russian territorial interests as reasons for Moscow to build a closer relationship with…
