Vladimir Rozanskij

At the recent European summit in Armenia, attended by Zelenskyy and marked by a clear desire to strengthen relations with the European Union, Putin responded by warning Armenia not to follow in Ukraine’s footsteps. These are weighty words in a country preparing to go to the polls on 7 June for extremely sensitive parliamentary elections.

The death and retirement of two politicians who, for almost thirty years, led the local parliaments of Bashkortostan and Tatarstan offer a glimpse into their loyalty to every form of power during Russia’s transition of regimes. Icons of the process that, with the war, has now reduced the entire country to global isolation

Capital Day provided an opportunity to celebrate the efforts that, during the years of the terrible Stalinist dictatorship, made it possible to build one of Central Asia’s most beautiful cities on a desert plateau. Today, its modern buildings project it into the future.

In September, Russia will go to the polls for parliamentary elections, and in the campaign that is now getting underway, the traditional allies of United Russia, Putin’s party, appear for the first time to be intent on distancing themselves in order to capitalise on popular discontent. Thus, to close ranks, the Kremlin is rallying the loyalist leaders of local administrations.

Speaking at a seminar organised in Samarkand by the Asian Development Bank, the Deputy Minister of Transport from Tashkent recalled how, during the Soviet era, Central Asia was part of a single country where logistics chains functioned effectively. The challenge now is to overcome today’s borders through new digital infrastructure.

Behind Putin’s remarks at the Victory Day parade regarding the “possible end of the war” (albeit at an unspecified time) lie the risks that a further prolongation of the conflict would now pose to the stability of Russian society. Thus, despite the deadlock in negotiations, Moscow is attempting to revise its propaganda narrative to give the impression that it has nonetheless achieved its objectives in the ‘special operation’ in Ukraine.

Crossing mountain passes at altitudes of up to 3,000 metres and travelling hundreds of kilometres with their flocks, the čabany keep alive a tradition that produces a type of sheep meat of the highest quality. A hard life, exposed to the unscrupulous exploitation of the owners of the pastures, yet underpinned by a solid unwritten code of solidarity and a profound harmony with nature.

In a country where 25% of the population is between the ages of 14 and 30, President Mirziyoyev has launched a package of measures aimed at this demographic for the first time. Among the planned initiatives are employment support, low-interest home loans, promotion of foreign language learning, and a national award for youth creativity.

The level of state control over what citizens say and write in Moscow today is now greater than it was in the Soviet Union before Gorbachev. Every police officer, traffic warden or judge adheres to this line; everyone understands that one can no longer speak of politics or criticise those in power, and even the most innocuous expressions are monitored.

To bypass the blockade of both the Gulf and conflict-ridden Afghanistan, a new land corridor is emerging, starting from the port of Karachi on the shores of the Arabian Sea and reaching as far as Tashkent via Iranian territory. A long and arduous route which, for Pakistan today, is the only way to access the Central Asian market, home to almost 80 million people.

From political divisions with Washington, which has announced troop withdrawals, to the limitations demonstrated by air and naval forces during the Middle East crisis: senior European military officers insist on the need to prepare for a possible Russian attack on a NATO country by 2030. And with the increasingly real threat of drones, military cooperation with Ukraine is being strengthened.

In a region where over 100 million people will be living by 2025, the traditional model of trade in raw materials and finished goods is being superseded, with an increasing focus on the coordinated creation of added value. Berlin is able to offer cutting-edge solutions for the green transition and make a vital contribution to the development of human capital.