Page 108 – The Times Of Central Asia

12 Jan 2026

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Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan Plan Shorter Route from Almaty to Lake Issyk-Kul

January 12, 2026
By Vagit Ismailov

Kazakhstan has formed a working group to develop a shorter road route from Almaty to Lake Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan, which could reduce travel time by nearly half. The initiative, reported by Kazakh media, aims to improve regional connectivity and enhance tourism flows between the two countries.

According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport, the proposed route will serve as an alternative to the current 460-kilometer drive through Korday and Bishkek. The new road is expected to be approximately 277 kilometers long, with a travel time of about three hours.

Preliminary estimates indicate the road will traverse roughly equal distances in both countries: 127 kilometers in Kazakhstan and 150 kilometers in Kyrgyzstan. Much of the required infrastructure is already in place. Kazakhstan will need to repair about 80 kilometers of road, while Kyrgyzstan is expected to reconstruct just six kilometers.

The project was initiated by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which has committed grant funding for the development of a feasibility study. An agreement to that effect was signed in December 2024.

In spring 2025, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan established a joint working group to develop infrastructure for the Almaty-Bishkek and Almaty-Issyk-Kul economic corridors. That summer, both countries also began upgrading border crossing facilities. The current phase of the project involves preparing the feasibility study.

The study, led by the Kazakh authorities in collaboration with the Eurasian Development Bank, is expected to be completed by September 2026. It will determine the road’s exact route, classification, projected traffic volume, financial model, and potential toll structure. Early indications suggest the road may operate as a toll road.

Once approved by both governments, the feasibility study will serve as the basis for a final construction decision. Project financing is expected to follow a public-private partnership model, including the formation of a joint venture between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

The idea of creating a direct route to Issyk-Kul for Kazakh tourists has been under discussion for decades. Since Kyrgyzstan’s independence, successive presidents have expressed support for the project, but political disagreements have repeatedly stalled progress.

Similar political issues prevented the reopening of a once-popular hiking trail from Almaty to Issyk-Kul. During the Soviet era, tourists could walk from Kol-Sai to Issyk-Kul via the Kyrgyz village of Tyup, roughly a 30-kilometer journey. The trail remained active until the 2000s, when it was closed due to bilateral tensions.

A final attempt to revive cross-border tourism occurred in August 2022, when a delegation of politicians, journalists, and tourism experts retraced the route. While the two governments agreed on border and passport control protocols, the initiative was soon suspended again.

Experts suggest that, with sustained political will, both the highway project and the restoration of the historic hiking route could be implemented in the future.

12 Jan 2026

Central Asia, Home, Justice, Kazakhstan Justice, Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Home

Kazakhstan Blocked Nearly 85 Million Fraudulent Phone Calls in 2025

January 12, 2026
By Dmitry Pokidaev

Kazakhstan’s law enforcement agencies blocked approximately 85 million fraudulent phone calls in 2025, according to Interior Minister Yerzhan Sadenov. The announcement was made during a meeting of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

“Systematic work continues to combat cybercrime and internet fraud,” Sadenov stated. “A total of 84.5 million fraudulent calls were blocked, helping to prevent significant financial losses and reduce citizen exposure to fraudulent schemes. Thirteen call centers were shut down, including some located abroad. Fifty-six criminal cases have been launched against individuals involved in so-called ‘dropperism,’ aiding internet fraudsters.”

Sadenov also highlighted Kazakhstan’s signing of the United Nations Convention on Combating Cybercrime, which he said will strengthen international cooperation in addressing cross-border digital crimes.

As part of its broader digital transformation, Kazakhstan introduced the Law and Order service last autumn, a new tool enabling citizens to interact with law enforcement agencies. Integrated into eGov Mobile, the government’s digital services platform, as well as the Kaspi.kz and Halyk Bank mobile apps, the service is accessible nationwide. In addition to reporting offenses, users can submit complaints against police officers and send text, voice, photo, and video messages.

Every report submitted through the service is automatically registered in the Ministry’s information system, with users receiving real-time updates on the status of their submissions.

To support these initiatives, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has established a Department of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence. The department is tasked with integrating smart technologies into law enforcement. One of its flagship projects is the National Video Monitoring System, which uses video analytics to enhance street and public safety, including the ongoing development of the Safe City initiative.

As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, engineers in Karaganda unveiled three prototype unmanned aerial vehicles last year aimed at improving public safety across Kazakhstan.

12 Jan 2026

Home, Central Asia, Environment, Tajikistan, Tajikistan Home, Tajikistan Environment

Families in Tajikistan Relocated from Zones at High Risk from Disasters

January 12, 2026
By Vagit Ismailov

Authorities in Tajikistan have relocated hundreds of families from areas vulnerable to natural disasters, continuing a multi-year effort to reduce risk to life and property.

Jamshed Kamolzoda, Head of the Main Directorate for Civil Protection and Territories under the Committee for Emergency Situations and Civil Defense, outlined the scope of the relocation initiative, the primary threats identified, and the state resources allocated for disaster prevention.

According to Kamolzoda, 328 households were moved from high-risk zones in 2024-2025. Of these, 154 were relocated in 2024, and 174 followed in 2025. The relocations were carried out under the government-approved “Medium-Term Plan for the Organized Resettlement of Environmental Migrants for 2024-2026,” which mandates the annual resettlement of 175 households based on risk assessments.

Kamolzoda emphasized that the Committee annually conducts geological and engineering evaluations of vulnerable areas and develops corresponding risk-reduction measures in cooperation with other agencies. A central component of this effort remains the relocation of at-risk populations.

“Special working groups have been established under the Committee, comprising experts in engineering, geology, construction, and emergency response,” he said.

These groups inspect residential buildings and infrastructure on-site and issue recommendations grounded in technical and scientific analysis. Their findings form the basis for resettlement decisions.

The relocation program is part of the broader National Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction for 2019-2034, which aims to minimize human and material losses, bolster preventative measures, and improve public preparedness for emergencies.

Mudslides, earthquakes, and avalanches are the most frequent natural disasters in Tajikistan, with earthquakes considered the most dangerous due to their potential scale. With 93% of the country’s territory classified as mountainous, the most at-risk regions include the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO), the Rasht Valley, the Zeravshan Valley, and the mountainous areas of the Sughd Region.

In 2025 alone, the Committee recorded 287 emergency incidents across Tajikistan, 12 of

which were natural disasters. The total estimated damage exceeded $2.2 million.

12 Jan 2026

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Ukraine Says it Hit Russian Oil Targets in Caspian Sea

January 12, 2026
By Times of Central Asia

The Ukrainian military says it has struck three Russian oil drilling platforms in the Caspian Sea, an area that is vital to Central Asia’s role in trade linking China and Europe.

“Direct hits have been recorded,” the Ukrainian military said on Telegram on Sunday. “The extent of the damage is being assessed.”

The statement said the drilling infrastructure belongs to Russia’s Lukoil Corporation and it identified the targets as the V. Filanovsky, Yuri Korchagin and Valery Grayfer platforms.

The Ukrainian military did not provide details about how it carried out the attack, though unverified video circulating on social media appeared to show an aerial drone approaching a platform during the operation.

Ukraine has used drones to conduct other strikes on Russian oil targets in the Caspian Sea in recent weeks, as well as long-range missions against oil installations in many parts of Russia. Five countries have shores along the Caspian: Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran and Azerbaijan.

Ukrainian authorities say Russian energy infrastructure is a legitimate target because it generates revenue to support Russia’s invading forces in Ukraine as well as Russian air strikes on Kyiv and other civilian centers. Russia describes Ukrainian attacks on its oil industry as terrorism.

Ukrainian military operations have also hit infrastructure belonging to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) near the Russian port of Novorossiysk on the Black Sea, leading to diplomatic protests from Kazakhstan. The Central Asian country relies heavily on the port´s facilities for the transhipment of oil from Kazakh fields to international markets.

11 Jan 2026

Home, Life & Culture, Kazakhstan Life & Culture, Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan’s Bublik Breaks Into Top 10 With Ninth Title Win

January 11, 2026
By Times of Central Asia

After a stellar 2025 season, Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan has started 2026 by becoming a top 10 player for the first time.

Bublik defeated Italian Lorenzo Musetti 7-6 (2), 6-3 in the final of the ATP tournament in Hong Kong on Sunday and will move up one spot to world No. 10 when the new rankings come out on Monday. It’s the first time that Kazakhstan has had a player among the 10 best tennis players in the world.

Smiling broadly, Bublik went down on one knee after winning the match on a Musetti forehand into the net. In his on-court victory speech, he said Hong Kong would always be a special place because of what he achieved there.

“I’m being honest with you,” Bublik said. “If you tell me that, at the beginning of my career or last April, that I’m going to be standing here, 10 in the world… I would probably not believe you.”

The Russia-born, 28-year-old player had his best season last year, winning four titles after struggling early in 2025. With the Hong Kong win, he has won a total of nine titles in his career.

Bublik now has a 3-1 head-to-head record over Musetti, a top 10 player. Despite his success, Musetti has lost his last seven tour finals. In his speech, Bublik said that he too had lost a lot of finals and that he expected the Italian to build on those losses and achieve “some very big moments of your career.”

Bublik told the Hong Kong crowd that he “can’t wait” to return next year.

10 Jan 2026

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New U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan to Build “Momentum” on Trade, Diplomacy

January 10, 2026
By Times of Central Asia

Julie Stufft, the new U.S. ambassador to Kazakhstan, is a career diplomat who has said her goal is to ensure that U.S. companies in the Central Asian country have not just an “even playing field” but are also “the partners of choice” in a region where Russia and China are the dominant trading partners.

Stufft, who made those remarks during her confirmation hearing in the U.S. Congress in July, presented her credentials to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan in Astana on Friday. She has previously worked on COVID-19 travel policies and U.S. visa processing worldwide and was most recently deputy assistant to the president and executive secretary of the National Security Council. Stufft has served as deputy chief of mission in the U.S. Embassies in Moldova and Djibouti, and was also a diplomat in Russia, Ethiopia, and Poland.

One of Stufft’s daughters, Nora, is a student at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado.

After the credentials ceremony in Astana, Stufft said Tokayev and U.S. President Donald Trump have a “very close relationship” and that there was impetus for further collaboration between Kazakhstan and the United States.

“We have so much momentum from President Tokayev´s recent visit to Washington that we have to build on this,” Stufft said in reference to a November summit hosted by Trump and attended by the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

The meeting focused on securing big trade deals as well as U.S access to minerals in Central Asia that are critical to energy and other industries. Another U.S. goal is to counter the longstanding influence of Russia and China in Central Asian countries, whose leaders seek to balance their relationships with the big powers.

Last month, in another round of diplomatic outreach, Trump invited Tokayev and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan to attend the G20 summit in Miami later this year.

In addition to holding large reserves of critical minerals, Kazakhstan is a top uranium producer and a major oil exporter. China and Russia are its biggest overall trading partners. While U.S. trade with Kazakhstan is relatively small in comparison, the relationship is growing.

“My goal as ambassador, if confirmed, would be to make sure that U.S. companies have an even playing field so that they can do investment in Kazakhstan, and also that U.S. companies are the partners of choice in Kazakhstan, instead of Chinese or other companies,” Stufft said in her confirmation hearing last year.

The previous U.S. ambassador to Kazakhstan, Daniel Rosenblum, resigned from the post in January 2025.