Page 165 – The Times Of Central Asia

13 Aug 2025

Central Asia, Uzbekistan, International Affairs, Uzbekistan Home, Uzbekistan International Affairs

Tashkent Medical University Accused of Forcing Students to Study in Russian City Reportedly Under Drone Attacks

August 13, 2025
By Sadokat Jalolova

Tashkent State Medical University (TSMU) has rejected social media allegations that its students are being forced to study in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, a city some reports claim is “under Ukrainian drone attacks.” The university called the reports “baseless and false,” stressing that the students are enrolled in a joint degree program requiring them to complete the final two years at a partner institution abroad.

Videos shared by local media this week showed students opposing the move, citing recent drone strikes in the region that reportedly killed one person and injured several others. They claimed a previous rector had promised to transfer the program to Kazakhstan, but the current rector, Shukhrat Boymuradov, reversed that decision. Students alleged they were given an ultimatum: go to Russia or take academic leave and request to finish their fifth year in Uzbekistan.

TSMU said all the students in question had signed contracts under a joint education program with Privolzhsky Research Medical University (PRMU) in Nizhny Novgorod, as stipulated by Uzbekistan’s Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 421 of July 6, 2021. The agreement requires participants to complete their fourth and fifth years at PRMU.

According to the university, PRMU runs 12 joint programs with five Uzbek universities and currently hosts more than 400 Uzbek students. To ensure suitable conditions, TSMU and PRMU agreed on dedicated dormitories, a special dean’s office to help with administrative matters, and re-enrollment opportunities for students previously expelled from PRMU.

The administration dismissed claims that Nizhny Novgorod is under martial law, noting that the city hosts active academic partnerships and that no state of war has been declared there.

On August 11, Boymuradov met with students and parents to discuss the program, living arrangements, and support services. TSMU reported that most students expressed readiness to continue studies at PRMU, while a minority sought to remain in Tashkent, allegedly relying on “deliberately false information.”

The university warned that spreading misinformation intended to mislead the public and damage its reputation could result in legal action under Uzbek law.

13 Aug 2025

Home, Tajikistan Local Politics, Tajikistan, Local Politics, Tajikistan Home

Tajikistan Authorities Step Up Crackdown on Illegal Mining and Electricity Theft

August 13, 2025
By Vagit Ismailov

Tajikistan’s Prosecutor General Khabibullo Vokhidzoda has reported a rise in illegal cryptocurrency mining operations and electricity theft across the country.

Illegal Cryptocurrency Mining

In the first half of 2025, authorities identified and recovered 32 million somoni ($3.52 million) in damages linked to stolen electricity used to power cryptocurrency mining equipment.

“There are individuals who import mining equipment from abroad and operate cryptocurrency farms illegally,” Vokhidzoda said.

Currently, 4-5 criminal cases are under investigation involving the installation and operation of such devices. Cryptocurrency, he noted, is a digital currency maintained through a decentralized payment system, with mining requiring high-powered computers, stable internet, and substantial electricity consumption.

Although Tajikistan does not have a legal framework regulating cryptocurrency mining, law enforcement regularly shuts down illegal farms. Recently, the Sughd Region Prosecutor’s Office uncovered seven cases in which 135 mining devices were found operating inside residential buildings, causing an estimated 287,939 somoni ($31,673) in damages.

Widespread Electricity Theft

Illegal electricity use remains a major problem. Since January, 3,988 individuals have faced administrative or disciplinary action, while 190 criminal cases have been opened. The total damages recovered so far amount to 38.7 million somoni ($4.26 million).

Electricity debts are also mounting: subscribers accumulated 273 million somoni ($30 million) in unpaid bills in the first half of 2025. Nationwide, total arrears stand at 4.6 billion somoni ($506 million), with 1.6 billion somoni ($176 million) owed by households and the rest by enterprises and organizations.

Tougher Penalties Introduced

This year, Tajikistan increased fines for electricity theft and non-payment. Under the Criminal Code, violations can now result in fines from 27,000 to 90,000 somoni ($2,970-$9,900) or imprisonment for three to ten years.

The Administrative Offenses Code also provides for fines ranging from 1,500 to 22,500 somoni ($165-$2,475) for misuse of electricity and heat.

13 Aug 2025

Central Asia, Home, Business & Economy, Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Business & Economy, Kazakhstan Home

Kazakhstan Details Use of Russian Loan for First Nuclear Power Plant

August 13, 2025
By Vagit Ismailov

Kazakhstan’s Atomic Energy Agency (AEA) has confirmed that Russian preferential export financing for the country’s first nuclear power plant will be directed toward the purchase of long-cycle equipment and major construction works. Key components to be covered include the reactor, steam generators, and main circulation pumps.

The 2.4 GW twin-unit plant will be built near the village of Ulken on the shores of Lake Balkhash in the Almaty region. The loan’s terms and parameters will be set during the drafting of an intergovernmental agreement.

Construction Management

The project has been entrusted to Kazakhstan Atomic Power Plants LLP (KAP), a subsidiary of Samruk-Kazyna. In July, KAP was placed under the trust management of the AEA and will later become state property.

The agency is also studying potential sites for the second and third nuclear power plants, taking into account geological, seismic, infrastructural, and environmental factors, along with electricity demand and public opinion. All studies are being conducted in line with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) standards.

Fuel Production in Kazakhstan

The AEA also highlighted plans to produce nuclear fuel domestically. The Ulba-TVS plant has reached its design capacity of 200 tons of finished fuel in low-enriched uranium terms, equivalent to about 1,600 tons of natural uranium annually, enough to reload six reactors.

A joint venture with China’s CGNPC, the plant currently manufactures 440 fuel assemblies per year for Chinese nuclear power stations, each weighing about half a ton and produced to a French Framatome design. Moving to two-shift production could double output.

While Kazakhstan lacks uranium conversion and enrichment facilities, authorities plan to develop this segment to establish a full nuclear fuel cycle. The AEA and Kazatomprom aim to ensure a steady fuel supply for the plant’s entire operational life.

Project Costs and Local Involvement

Russia’s financing will primarily fund equipment with long manufacturing lead times. The total cost of construction will be set after design completion and expert review.

The AEA noted that costs will depend on site-specific engineering and survey results, local seismic and meteorological conditions, use of international equipment, the degree of domestic production of materials, and the involvement of local contractors and specialists.

Kazakh suppliers will have priority in providing materials and labor, provided they meet certification standards. “It is economically unfeasible to import construction materials and workers from Russia if the necessary resources and specialists are available in Kazakhstan at more competitive prices,” the agency stated.

13 Aug 2025

Business & Economy, Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan Business & Economy, Kyrgyzstan Home

Kyrgyzstan’s Kazarman Airport Reopens After 20-Year Hiatus

August 13, 2025
By Sergey Kwan

Kazarman Airport in Kyrgyzstan’s southern Jalal-Abad region has reopened after more than 20 years, following a major reconstruction project by JSC Airports of Kyrgyzstan. Located near the village of Kazarman, the airport is now ready to receive flights once again.

The renovation included repairs to the 1,840 meter runway, taxiways, aircraft parking areas, and the passenger terminal. The facility can accommodate aircraft weighing up to 22 tons and currently operates during daylight hours.

Built in 1985, Kazarman Airport previously served flights to Bishkek, Osh, and Jalal-Abad. On August 12, state-owned Asman Airlines made its first flight to the renovated airport, and regular flights to Bishkek are scheduled to begin in early September.

“The return of Kazarman Airport to operation is an important step for the development of the country’s transport network. Now residents and visitors of the Jalal-Abad region will be able to get to Bishkek faster and more conveniently,” said Manasbek Samidinov, Chairman of the Board of JSC Airports of Kyrgyzstan.

The reopening comes as Kyrgyzstan continues to expand its aviation infrastructure. In May 2025, construction began on a new international airport in Jalal-Abad, the country’s third-largest city, designed to handle passenger and cargo aircraft including Boeing 737s and Airbus A320/A321s.

At the groundbreaking, President Sadyr Japarov highlighted rising demand for both domestic and international flights. Since 2021, passenger traffic has grown by 46% and the number of flights by 31%, he said. Asman Airlines has restored all domestic routes linking Bishkek with Talas, Karakol, and Kerben, and in 2024 added two Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 short-haul aircraft to its fleet.

The Kazarman and Jalal-Abad projects are part of a broader strategy to modernize Kyrgyzstan’s airports. Work began in February 2025 on a new complex at Osh International Airport, and Karakol International Airport and Talas Airport have already opened. Renovations are also underway at Issyk-Kul International Airport and Naryn Airport.

13 Aug 2025

Cultural Heritage, Home, Life & Culture, Kyrgyzstan Life & Culture, Kyrgyzstan, Features, Kyrgyzstan Features

Kyrgyzstan Hosts Inaugural World Festival of Traditional Culture and Music “Rukh Sanat”

August 13, 2025
By Times of Central Asia

From August 1-3, the cultural and ethnographic complex Rukh Ordo, on the shores of Lake Issyk-Kul, hosted Kyrgyzstan’s first World Festival of Traditional Culture and Music, Rukh Sanat. The event brought together more than 130 performers, researchers, and artisans from 37 countries.

The festival opened with a parade of participants and a theatrical ceremony celebrating nomadic traditions and harmony with nature. Kyrgyz Minister of Culture, Information and Youth Policy Mirbek Mambetaliev described Rukh Sanat as “a new cultural doctrine” where tradition “sounds, lives, and interacts.”