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Journalist

Andrei Matveev is a journalist from Kazakhstan.

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Society

How Orthodox Christmas Is Celebrated in Central Asia

Orthodox Christmas, observed on January 7, holds a significant place in Central Asia, even in predominantly Muslim countries such as Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. This article explores how the holiday is celebrated in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. Kazakhstan Orthodox Christmas in Kazakhstan is a public holiday, alongside the Muslim celebration of Kurban-Ayt (Eid al-Adha). This recognition stems from the efforts of Kazakhstan's first president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, who proposed in 2005 during the XI session of the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan to declare both holidays as non-working days. Despite opposition from the Constitutional Court, which cited the country's secular constitution, members of the parliamentary faction Asar, led by Nazarbayev's daughter Dariga Nazarbayeva, and the presidential party Otan amended the Labor Code to accommodate these holidays. Since then, Orthodox Christmas and Kurban-Ayt have been official holidays. Celebrations in major cities include festive liturgies. In Almaty, the Ascension Cathedral holds a service beginning at 11pm on January 6, followed by a midnight procession. In Astana, the Assumption Cathedral similarly hosts a midnight service. For those unable to attend, events from the Assumption Cathedral are live-streamed on the YouTube channel “Live Broadcasts of the Orthodox Church of Kazakhstan.” Uzbekistan Orthodox Christians comprise 4-5% of Uzbekistan’s population of over 37.5 million. Uzbekistan is part of the Tashkent and Uzbekistan Diocese under the Russian Orthodox Church. The Cathedral of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Tashkent is the focal point of Christmas celebrations. Services begin at 11.30pm on January 6 and end at 3.30am. To ensure maximum participation, the cathedral holds five separate liturgies. Metropolitan Vikenty of the Tashkent and Uzbekistan Diocese explains, “Traditionally, the liturgy was held at night because the Nativity of Christ took place at night. But not everyone can attend a night service, so we perform several liturgies.” Kyrgyzstan Approximately 350,000 Orthodox Christians live in Kyrgyzstan, according to Bishop Daniel of Bishkek and Kyrgyzstan. The country is part of the Bishkek and Kyrgyzstan Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church. January 7 is a public holiday in Kyrgyzstan, aligning with the extended New Year vacations, which last from January 1 to 7. Festive services are held at the Resurrection Cathedral and the Church of the Holy Prince Vladimir in Bishkek. Tajikistan In Tajikistan, the Orthodox Christian community numbers around 80,000, or 1.2% of the population, though regular church attendance is much smaller. The country is under the jurisdiction of the Dushanbe Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church. Christmas services are held at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Dushanbe, beginning at 11pm on January 6 and lasting about three hours. The diocese oversees six churches in Tajikistan, served by five priests. Turkmenistan As of 2019, Turkmenistan’s Orthodox Christian population is about 485,000, or 9% of the total population. All Orthodox parishes are under the Patriarchal Parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church, established in 2007. Services on Christmas Eve and January 6 are conducted in all 12 Orthodox churches in Turkmenistan, adhering strictly to church traditions. According to Archpriest John, dean of...

1 year ago

Aktau Plane Crash

Kazakhstan Transfers Flight Recorders to Brazil for Further Investigation

The Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash near the Kazakh city of Aktau continues to dominate media discussions in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia. Public attention has centered on statements from Azerbaijan’s leader, Ilham Aliyev, who appears dissatisfied with Vladimir Putin’s vague apologies, as well as on the actions of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who faces the delicate challenge of conducting an investigation that satisfies both Baku and Moscow. Tensions between Baku and Moscow have escalated, with both sides imposing mutual migration restrictions. Russians are now limited to 90 days per year in Azerbaijan, while Russia has enacted asymmetric measures against Azerbaijani citizens. Amid this backdrop, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has taken personal control of the aviation accident investigation, which includes collaboration with specialists from both Azerbaijan and Russia. On the evening of Sunday, December 29, the Commission on Aviation Incident Investigation, led by Kazakhstan’s Minister of Transport, Marat Karabayev, announced its decision to send the flight data recorder (black box) to Brazil's Center for Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents (CENIPA). Brazil is also the manufacturer of the Embraer aircraft involved in the crash. According to the Kazakh authorities, the decision complies with the standards of Annex 13 of the Chicago Convention, which assigns responsibility for decoding flight recorders to the investigating country and allows it to select the location for the task. Kazakhstan, a member of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) since 1992, made the decision in alignment with this framework. The commission emphasized that CENIPA possesses the necessary technical expertise, certified laboratories, and specialized equipment for decoding the flight data recorders. Kazakh analyst Gaziz Abishev interprets the decision as a potential response to external pressure on Kazakhstan, though officials deny any such influence. According to Abishev, the rhetoric from Azerbaijan’s leadership reflects a lack of mutual understanding with Moscow, suggesting covert attempts to sway the investigation. “In this context, Kazakhstan’s decision to transfer the black box to CENIPA represents a principled step aimed at neutralizing pressure and ensuring an impartial decoding process that instills confidence in the international community,” Abishev stated. A similar view is held by Aydos Sarym, a deputy in Kazakhstan's Mazhilis. “This is, in essence, a ‘Solomonic’ decision, as Azerbaijan is the aggrieved party, with the majority of victims being its citizens. President Aliyev has repeatedly emphasized Russia’s culpability in the tragedy and expressed distrust toward certain CIS institutions that have investigated past international incidents. To guarantee full transparency and objectivity, the decryption process has been entrusted to Brazil. This move seeks to accurately determine the cause of the tragedy and establish accountability while ensuring the investigation’s conclusions are accepted by all parties,” Sarym commented. Azat Peruashev, leader of the parliamentary party Ak Zhol, also voiced support for the decision. He praised it as a testament to Tokayev’s diplomatic skill, describing him as a “high-class diplomat capable of finding balanced solutions in the most challenging situations.” Peruashev highlighted the advantages of shifting the investigation to a neutral and unbiased venue, allowing the manufacturer to confirm whether the crash...

1 year ago

Aktau Plane Crash

Questions Mount After Azeri Plane Crash with Focus on Russian Air Defenses

On December 25, an Azerbaijani Embraer 190 aircraft operating a Baku-Grozny flight made a hard emergency landing near the city of Aktau, Kazakhstan. The aircraft, carrying five crew members and 62 passengers, suffered devastating consequences. Both pilots were killed, along with 36 passengers. Additionally, 29 people, including three children, were hospitalized. The aircraft disintegrated on impact, and a fire engulfed its midsection. Initial reports suggested a bird strike, but alternative theories have since emerged. Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations detailed the timeline: at 11:02 Astana time, the crew issued a distress signal while flying over the Caspian Sea. By 11:37, the plane made a hard landing in the steppe near Aktau. Before official rescue teams arrived, employees of a local energy company working nearby provided critical first aid and captured the first videos of the crash. They managed to pull 15 passengers from the wreckage of the tail section. Specialized rescue teams and medics, stationed at Aktau airport in anticipation of the emergency landing, arrived promptly thereafter. According to Nurdaulet Kilybay, Akim of Mangystau Region, "22 ambulance teams and six units from the Center for Disaster Medicine worked at the crash site." The regional multidisciplinary hospital had prepared “30 surgical and trauma beds, along with 10 intensive care beds” for victims. Speculations and Investigations Journalists questioned Bozumbayev during the briefing about theories which are currently circulating, including those suggesting air defense involvement. The official avoided drawing conclusions, stating: "It is impossible to establish even a preliminary cause because there are specialists for this. They will carry out work. Then it will be clear. I can't speak now. I watched what people are posting... While [the plane] fell to the ground, and turned over, a lot of things could have happened. So, I am far from reaching conclusions." Speculation on Russian Telegram channels has posited that perforations in the aircraft’s tail section resemble shelling damage. One theory links the crash to Ukrainian drone (UAV) raids over Grozny, suggesting that air defense systems mistakenly targeted the plane. The Telegram channel VChK-OGPU claimed that "Initially, the aircraft appears to have fallen victim to UAV jammers that were operating at the time because of a drone attack. As soon as the airliner started to descend for landing, its GPS stopped working and the dispatcher lost 'radar contact.' The pilot could not land the plane in such conditions and decided to fly to Baku. When he began to turn around to do so, there was an explosion nearby — all indications are that the plane was hit by air defense equipment." The report further alleges that the strike occurred over Chechnya’s Naursky District, home to military units equipped with air defense systems. Kazakh officials stressed the need for patience, as forensic and aviation experts work to analyze the wreckage and flight data, with Bozumbayev emphasizing that “An interdepartmental investigative and operational group has been set up. Both forensic experts and experts from our Aviation Administration, who investigate such air incidents, came with me. As part...

1 year ago

Migration

Killing of Russian General Kirillov: Arrest of Uzbek Suspect Raises Fears Among Central Asians

In the early hours of Tuesday, December 17, an explosion occurred at the entrance of an apartment building in a modest Moscow district, killing two people: Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov and his assistant. Kirillov was the head of the Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Defense (RCBD) troops of the Russian Armed Forces. A briefing by him had reportedly been scheduled for later that day. The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) announced the arrest of a suspect: a 1995-born citizen of Uzbekistan. According to the FSB, the suspect was identified and detained through joint operations with Russia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Investigative Committee. According to investigators, the explosive device had been attached to an electric scooter parked near the building's entrance. Surveillance was allegedly conducted via a video camera placed inside a carshare vehicle parked nearby for several days. While the Ukrainian side has not officially claimed responsibility for the attack, some sources linked to Ukraine’s Security Service have reportedly done so. Russian officials quickly blamed Ukraine. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated, “The Kiev regime does not shy away from such methods,” without providing evidence. Soon after, Investigative Committee spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko claimed that the suspect had confessed to being recruited by Ukrainian special services, who allegedly promised him an EU passport and $100,000. However, a video of the confession released by the FSB raises doubts. The suspect, who appears to struggle with Russian, delivers statements that suggest he may not fully understand what he is saying. While the confession's credibility is unclear, the nationality of the suspect - another migrant from Central Asia - is what resonates most in the short term. The incident follows a previous terrorist attack at Moscow’s Crocus City Hall, after which migrants from Central Asia faced intensified scrutiny. Over the past six months, many Central Asian workers living in Russia have felt treated not as second-class but as third-class citizens. Document checks, lengthy detentions, and increasingly restrictive rules for entry and residency in Russia have become commonplace. In August, Russia’s Interior Ministry reported that almost 92,800 foreign citizens were expelled in the first half of 2024 - a 53.2% increase compared to the same period in 2023. In response to the attack, nationalist groups and patriotic public figures are once again urging the Russian government to introduce a visa regime for Central Asian countries, particularly Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Similar measures have been observed in Turkey after the Crocus incident involving Tajik citizens, and in the UAE following a high-profile crime involving Uzbek nationals. It is highly likely that anti-migrant sentiment in Russia will intensify in the coming months. Coupled with increased security operations, this trend could escalate into new forms of repression targeting migrants. Such measures are likely to strain Russia's relations with Central Asian republics, where the treatment of migrant workers remains a sensitive issue.

1 year ago

Criminal Responsibility

Tinker, Tailor, Kazakh Ties: UK Spy Trial Reveals Moscow’s Long Shadow in Kazakh Politics

London's Central Criminal Court, known as the Old Bailey, is currently hearing the trial of several Bulgarian nationals accused by the British authorities of spying for Russia’s intelligence services. The case is likely being scrutinized not only in Moscow but also in Astana, as at least two of the six alleged operations relate to Kazakhstan. A Favor for Nazarbayev The defendants, five Bulgarian citizens, are accused of planning six espionage operations, one of which centers around Bergey Ryskaliyev, a former senior Kazakh official during the presidency of Nursultan Nazarbayev.The accused filmed Ryskaliyev in his London home and plotted to alternately dress up as DHL or Deliveroo drivers, or use a fake ambulance as a cover to access his premises. Ryskaliyev served as akim of the oil-rich Atyrau region from 2006 to 2012, before leaving Kazakhstan amid serious corruption allegations. Both he and his brother Amanzhan - an ex-deputy of the Mazhilis - have been wanted in their homeland for over a decade, facing charges of large-scale corruption, organized crime, false entrepreneurship, and money laundering. Public opinion in Kazakhstan attributes the Ryskaliyev brothers’ prosecution to their alleged involvement in the December 2011 Zhanaozen uprising. According to reports, the uprising was intended to culminate in Nazarbayev’s resignation through a symbolic “march to Astana.” By the summer of 2012, Nazarbayev seemed wary of Ryskaliyev, publicly thanking him for his service during a visit to Atyrau. Shortly after, Ryskaliyev resigned for "health reasons,” while Amanzhan stepped down as a Mazhilis deputy. The brothers remained in hiding for years, with their lawyers claiming in a 2019 trial that their whereabouts were unknown. However, reports later surfaced that Ryskaliyev had filmed and leaked a video of Nazarbayev in London’s Hyde Park, allegedly using it to blackmail the former president. Ryskaliyev denied this, characterizing his actions as a “small rally” outside Nazarbayev’s residence. Despite these allegations, Kazakhstan’s Supreme Court ruled in 2020 to return some of Ryskaliyev’s confiscated assets, including land, money, and shares in various companies, and to reverse property seizures which had affected their spouses. Prosecutors in the London trial allege that Ryskaliyev’s case was part of an operation to foster stronger ties between Moscow and Astana, with Russia suggesting that Kazakhstan might benefit from pursuing him. If accurate, this initiative likely predated January 2022, when Nazarbayev retained significant influence despite stepping down as president. Targeting Tokayev? The second alleged operation appears to have been directed at Kazakhstan’s current president, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Prosecutors claim the defendants planned a staged protest outside Kazakhstan’s embassy in London in September 2022, intending to pass information about the “organizers” to the Kazakh authorities. This, they argue, was another effort to bolster Russian-Kazakh relations. However, details reported by Germany’s Der Spiegel suggest a more specific objective. According to the report, the FSB instructed the operatives to stage a protest and send a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, ostensibly from a fabricated group critical of Tokayev. Plans also included splashing fake blood or pig’s blood on the...

1 year ago