Turkmenistan - The Times Of Central Asia

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Gas Import

Turkey to Import Turkmen Gas via Caspian Pipeline Within Five Years

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has announced that Turkmenistan will begin supplying natural gas to Turkey through pipelines under the Caspian Sea within the next five years. The announcement was made during the Natural Resources Summit in Istanbul, as reported by Turkmenistan’s Transport and Communications Agency and cited by Business Turkmenistan. Erdoğan stated that since March 2025, Turkmen gas has already been reaching Turkey via Iran, with approximately 250 million cubic meters delivered so far. By the end of the year, that volume is expected to rise to 1.3 billion cubic meters. He emphasized that expanding energy cooperation with Turkmenistan remains a strategic priority for Ankara. A bilateral agreement was signed on February 10, 2025, following high-level talks. The long-discussed trans-Caspian pipeline project, once stalled due to political and environmental concerns, now appears to be gaining traction. If realized, it would allow direct exports of Turkmen gas to Turkey and potentially to European markets. Earlier this year, The Times of Central Asia reported that methane emissions could pose a challenge for Turkmenistan’s ambition to export gas to Europe. A February 2025 report from the U.S. Department of Energy noted that Turkmenistan holds the world’s fifth-largest natural gas reserves, estimated at 400 trillion cubic feet and produced 3.0 trillion cubic feet of dry gas in 2023, marking a record high since tracking began in 1992.

Victory Day

Drone Attacks Intensify Security Worries Over Moscow Anniversary Event

Concerns about the security of dignitaries are circulating ahead of Russia’s plans for May 9 celebrations in Moscow of the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany, an event that leaders from Central Asia are expected to attend as the Russo-Ukrainian war continues. The unease relates to Ukraine’s growing capacity in drone warfare, a dominant feature of the battlefield after years of war between Ukrainian troops and invading Russian forces. On Sunday, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said air defense forces in the urban area of Podolsk, on the outskirts of Moscow, “repelled an attack” by four drones flying toward the capital. “According to preliminary data, there is no damage or casualties at the site of the fall of the debris. Emergency services specialists are working at the scene,” Sobyanin said on Telegram. Overnight, Ukrainian drones targeted Moscow again, disrupting operations at four of the city's airports. Sobyanin announced on Telegram that at least 19 Ukrainian drones were intercepted. Although no significant damage or injuries were immediately reported, debris from the intercepted drones landed on a major highway. On April 28, Russian President Vladimir Putin unilaterally declared a three-day ceasefire in the war with Ukraine from May 8 – 11 to coincide with the celebrations of victory in the Great Patriotic War, as the Soviet experience in World War II is called. But Ukraine rejected the proposal, saying it seems mainly designed to create a safe environment for its guests in Moscow and that a U.S-backed plan for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire would instead represent a serious step toward peace. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Ukraine isn’t responsible for anyone’s safety on Russian territory on the day of the anniversary celebrations. Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, has warned of massive retaliation if Ukraine strikes Moscow during the May 9 event, saying on Telegram that “in the event of a real provocation on Victory Day, no one can guarantee that May 10 will come in Kyiv.” An analyst who tracks drone technology, Russian military weapons development and related issues said Russia’s concern about the May 9 parade stems from Ukraine’s growing expertise in drones. “Ukrainian long-range drones can already strike across the entire [of] Russia's European (west of Urals) territory,” Samuel Bendett, a researcher at the Center for Naval Analyses, said on X. The city of Sevastopol in Russia-controlled Crimea won’t hold a Victory Day parade for security reasons, said city Gov. Mikhail Razvozhayev, according to Russia’s state-run news agency TASS. Sevastopol hasn’t held a parade in the last couple of years because of similar concerns. In 2014, Russian forces occupied and annexed the Ukrainian territory of Crimea, where Ukraine has conducted periodic attacks with drones and other weapons since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. The Kremlin says Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Russia at Putin’s invitation on May 7-10 and will attend the Victory Day celebrations. Russian state media have reported that the leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States, or CIS, will also attend....

Human Rights

Turkmen Cultural Workers Fired Over Refusal to Fund Presidential TV Monitor

Another case of forced financial contributions among civil servants has emerged in Turkmenistan. In early April, four employees of the Kerki district's cultural department were dismissed after protesting salary deductions. The funds were intended to finance the purchase of a television monitor designated to display images of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov. Salary Deductions Without Consent According to an order from local authorities, 230 Turkmenistan Manat (TMT) was deducted from the March salaries of employees at urban and rural cultural centers to pay for a large monitor at the Kerki Palace of Culture. Given that average monthly salaries range between 1,800-2,100 TMT (officially $514-$600, unofficially $92-$108), the deduction represented a significant portion of income. The monitor was meant to display the president's image against a national flag backdrop during official events. At other times, it remained unused. Several employees independently refused the deduction and were subsequently dismissed. Among them was a cleaning staff member. Coercion and Unofficial Duties One of the dismissed workers, a resident of Taze Usul village, reported that such deductions are routine. Employees are also compelled to engage in activities beyond their job descriptions, such as growing silkworm cocoons, harvesting cotton, and cleaning streets ahead of official visits. These tasks often occur on weekends and public holidays. Following their refusal to pay, the dismissed workers were allegedly visited by police, who pressured them into signing resignation letters citing “health reasons.” “I wrote several letters to the etrap and velayat hakims, and to the Minister of Culture in Ashgabat. No action was taken, except my dismissal,” said one of the affected employees. As a result of the dismissals, only two individuals remain at each cultural center in the Kerki district, now personally bearing the costs of maintenance, repairs, and event organization. Pattern of Enforced Contributions This incident is part of a broader pattern. In January 2025, civil servants in the newly built city of Arkadag, including teachers and librarians, were reportedly pressured to purchase homes on mortgage, with down payments ranging from 75,000 to 80,000 TMT ($21,428-$22,857). In May 2024, state agency heads in Balkan velayat were ordered to purchase souvenir watches featuring portraits of former President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and his son, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov. Prices ranged from 1,500 to 3,000 TMT ($428-$857) depending on seniority. Similar practices go back years. In August 2020, civil servants in Farap were compelled to buy domestically manufactured televisions, with 2,400 TMT ($685) deducted from their salaries in advance. Delivery was delayed by months. In February 2018, state employees had to pay for bicycles to join a mass bike ride, with contributions per worker depending on the institutional size. The cost of a bicycle reached 4,000 TMT ($1,142). According to civil servants, refusal to participate in such initiatives increasingly results in job loss, a sign of deepening authoritarian control in Turkmenistan's public sector.

May Day

May Day in Central Asia: From Soviet Parades to a Celebration of Unity

In Soviet times, May 1 and 2 were public holidays. May 1 was International Workers' Day, marked by large-scale parades celebrating the proletariat, while May 2 served as a day to recuperate before returning to work. Today, three of the five Central Asian republics have preserved the tradition of celebrating May Day, effectively marking the arrival of spring twice, once through Central Asian customs – Nauryz - and again through European ones. Workers of the world, unite! Coined by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in The Communist Manifesto, this famous communist slogan once appeared on the coats of arms of the Soviet Union and its republics. International Workers' Day became the living embodiment of this phrase. Celebrated on 1 May, May Day began as a European festival of spring but gained global significance through the labor movement. The Second International, formed at the 1889 International Workers Congress in Paris, called for an annual demonstration advocating an eight-hour workday. The date honors the U.S. general strike that started on 1 May 1886 and led to the tragic Haymarket massacre on 4 May. The date became a powerful symbol of working-class solidarity and a yearly tradition across large swathes of the globe. [caption id="attachment_31352" align="aligncenter" width="1174"] Soviet-era poster for International Workers' Day[/caption] Before the Bolsheviks came to power, political agitators in the Russian Empire used May 1 to call for change with slogans such as “Down with the Tsar” and “Give us freedom.” After the October Revolution, May 1 and 2 became official state holidays, with May Day becoming synonymous with International Workers' Day and mandatory parades. Unlike the more formal and solemn celebrations honoring the October Revolution, however, May Day events were often met with genuine enthusiasm. After the collapse The fall of the USSR brought about a widespread reevaluation of Soviet holidays. The celebration of the October Revolution on November 7 was widely discarded, but many post-Soviet republics retained May 1 as a public holiday, albeit with new interpretations and meanings. In Central Asia, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan do not officially celebrate May 1. Turkmenistan has developed a distinct holiday calendar, while in Uzbekistan, May 1 is observed symbolically as the Day of Fountains. [caption id="attachment_31353" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Day of Fountains, Tashkent; image: TCA, Stephen M. Bland[/caption] Though celebrations are more modest and it is no longer officially a day off, Tajikistan has retained the holiday’s Soviet-era name, International Workers’ Day. Some traditions, such as honoring outstanding workers, persist. Kyrgyzstan calls the holiday Labor Day, in line with its American equivalent. It is marked by festive events and activities organized by trade unions. Kazakhstan has taken a different approach, reimagining May Day as the Day of Unity of the People of Kazakhstan. The name reflects the country’s emphasis on stability and interethnic harmony, a model promoted by the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, an institution established on March 1, 1995, at the initiative of the country’s first president, Nursultan Nazarbayev. Since 2016, March 1 has also been celebrated as Thanksgiving...

Human Rights

Turkmenistan Denies Torture Allegations in Case of Activist Mansur Mingelov

At the 82nd session of the UN Committee Against Torture, held on April 23-24 in Geneva, Turkmenistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Vepa Hajiyev, rejected allegations that human rights activist Mansur Mingelov was tortured while in detention. Speaking in Geneva, Hajiyev stated that a domestic investigation found “no facts confirming such violations during criminal proceedings and during Mansur Mingelov's stay in places of detention.” He also provided an official medical diagnosis for Mingelov, tuberculous arthritis in both knees, and denied claims that Mingelov was not informed of his medical status. Background: Arrest and Allegations of Abuse Mansur Mingelov, a member of the Baluchi minority, was first detained in June 2012 by officers of the now-defunct Turkmenistan Drug Control Service. According to human rights groups, he was beaten and sustained a broken leg during his arrest. Although initially released without charge, Mingelov later submitted formal complaints to the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Presidential Administration, alleging torture against himself and other Baluchi community members. He compiled testimonies from at least 11 individuals who described being subjected to electric shocks, beatings with plastic bottles and chairs, and having bones broken with chisels. After attempting to deliver this evidence, including video and audio recordings, to the U.S. Embassy in Ashgabat, Mingelov was rearrested. Authorities subsequently charged him with drug smuggling, distribution of pornography, and involving minors in anti-social activities. He was sentenced to 22 years in prison. Health Condition and Calls for Release In 2018, Mingelov was diagnosed with tuberculosis, later complicated by osteomyelitis. Prison doctors recommended amputation of his leg, which he refused. In 2024, a commission led by Interior Ministry-affiliated physician Professor Elena Geldieva concluded that amputation was unnecessary and that his condition could be treated abroad. A 2017 presidential decree in Turkmenistan permits the release of seriously ill prisoners. Despite Mingelov’s confirmed diagnosis, he has not received the requisite documentation for release, nor has any court ruled in favor of it. The UN Human Rights Committee, several international organizations, and U.S. senators have all urged Turkmenistan to release Mingelov. However, activists claim the matter is stalled at the Ministry of National Security. At the Geneva meeting, Hajiyev asserted that a release requires a court decision based on a multi-agency commission’s findings, but did not clarify whether Mingelov's illness qualifies under the existing criteria. Mansur Mingelov remains incarcerated, as international watchdogs once again spotlight Turkmenistan’s human rights record.

Water Access

Opinion – Central Asia’s Looming Water Crisis: A Ticking Time Bomb

When people think of Central Asia, they often picture vast deserts, ancient Silk Road cities, and oil pipelines stretching to distant markets. Yet the region’s most urgent and combustible resource is not buried underground — it flows above it. Water, or more precisely the lack of it, is rapidly becoming the defining fault line of Central Asia’s future. For decades, the five Central Asian republics have tiptoed around a growing water crisis. The two major rivers that sustain life in this arid region, the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya, are now so contested and depleted that what was once a technical issue has metastasized into a geopolitical threat. The region's major rivers, the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya are under immense pressure, threatening agriculture, livelihoods, and regional stability. At the heart of the crisis is a tragic irony. The upstream countries, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, are rich in water but poor in energy and cash. They need to release water in winter to generate hydropower. Downstream nations, particularly Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, want water stored until the summer to irrigate vast cotton and wheat fields. The result? Mutual distrust, occasional diplomatic spats, and an accelerating race to dam, divert, and hoard water in a region already gasping under the weight of climate change. A Region Parched Central Asia annually utilizes over 60 billion cubic meters of water for irrigation from the Amu Darya and Syr Darya basins. However, recent years have seen a decline in river flows, with the actual flow of the Syr Darya being 20–23% less than the norm. Further, the ghost of the Aral Sea — a once-thriving inland lake that has now shrunk by over 90% in its volume and 74 % in surface area — serves as a haunting reminder of the cost of mismanagement. The Soviet legacy of excessive irrigation has morphed into a post-Soviet scramble for control, where water is not just a tool of survival but a lever of power. This desiccation has transformed the region, leading to the emergence of the Aralkum Desert and causing severe ecological and health issues. Climate Change Intensifies the Crisis Climate change is exacerbating water scarcity in Central Asia. A recent study revealed that an extreme heatwave in March 2025, with temperatures soaring 5 to 10°C above pre-industrial levels, was significantly amplified by global warming. Such temperature surges accelerate glacier melt and increase evaporation rates, further reducing water availability. By some estimates, Central Asia could lose over 30% of its freshwater resources by 2050. Yet, rather than galvanize cooperation, this existential threat has sparked more competition. International efforts have largely fallen flat. The International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS), the region’s main water cooperation body, is riddled with inefficiencies and lacks enforcement power. External actors like China and Russia have their own interests, often deepening the regional divide rather than healing it. Inefficient Water Management Inefficient agricultural practices remain one of the most profound and persistent contributors to water mismanagement across Central Asia. In...