Migrants - The Times Of Central Asia

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Ukraine Migrants Russia's War

Russia: Thousands of Central Asia-Born Russians Sent to Ukraine Front Line

A senior Russian official has said that thousands of migrants from Central Asia who became Russian citizens were sent to fight in Ukraine after they tried to dodge conscription. "Our military investigations directorate conducts regular raids,” Alexander Bastrykin, head of Russia’s Investigative Committee, said on Tuesday in remarks that were reported by the Russian state-run TASS news agency. “So far, we've tracked down 80,000 such Russian citizens who didn't just avoid the front lines — they wouldn’t even show up at military enlistment offices. We’ve registered them for military service, and about 20,000 of these 'new' Russian citizens, who for some reason no longer want to live in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, or Kyrgyzstan, are now on the front lines," Bastrykin said at the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum. Bastrykin’s comments contributed a piece to the often murky picture of the involvement of people from Central Asia in Russia’s war effort in Ukraine in the last three years. In addition to conscription measures, Russia has also sought to replenish its ranks by offering contracts and other incentives to foreigners willing to fight. Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are among Central Asian countries that ban their nationals from fighting in foreign conflicts and there have been several high-profile prosecutions of citizens who fought for Russia and returned home. It is a sensitive political matter in Central Asia, a region that seeks to project neutrality in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Kazakhstan has said it is reviewing a report by a Ukrainian institution that said about 661 Kazakh citizens have fought for Russia since it launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The I Want To Live center, which is run by the Ukrainian security services and assists with surrender requests from soldiers fighting for Russia, published a list of what it said were the Kazakh nationals. Of the 661, at least 78 have been killed, according to the center. Without providing details, it said it received the list from its own sources within the Russian military. Uzbekistan is conducting a similar investigation based on data from the Ukrainian group.

Trump Administration United States Deportation Migrants

U.S. Deports Over 100 Central Asian Migrants on Uzbek Charter Flight

More than 100 people from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan who were illegally in the United States have been deported on a charter flight organized by the Uzbek government, the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent said on Thursday. The operation, which happened on Wednesday, was “the first in which a U.S. partner proactively provided a dedicated flight to repatriate its citizens” and underscores collaboration on issues such as counterterrorism and law enforcement, according to the embassy. “By organizing and funding the removal of its citizens present illegally in the United States and allowing the removal of nationals from other countries on Uzbek flights, Uzbekistan demonstrated its role as a trusted and proactive partner in the realm of international security,” it said. The embassy statement did not provide details on the people who were deported. U.S. President Donald Trump had campaigned on the promise of the mass deportation of migrants that he said were in the country without permission, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement has carried out deportations in line with that pledge since he took office for a second term in January. The speed and severity of the crackdown have alarmed advocates who have argued in court that the U.S. administration is denying due process to some migrants. U.S. relations with some of its traditional allies, including Canada and European countries, have frayed since Trump took office. But Uzbekistan and several other Central Asian countries appear to have maintained a relatively harmonious dialogue with the Trump administration while also collaborating with regional powers Russia and China. On April 9, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov met in Washington to discuss investment, critical minerals and security matters. Rubio “thanked Uzbekistan for their efforts to facilitate the return of their deportees from the United States,” the U.S. State Department said. U.S. plans for mass deportations have been a source of concern for Central Asian communities in the United States. This month, Kazakhstan urged any of its citizens who are subject to a U.S. deportation order but remain in the United States to voluntarily return home by using a U.S. Department of Homeland Security mobile app. The Kazakh Embassy in Washington urged those nationals to do so in order “to prevent possible negative consequences” such as fines, a ban on re-entry to the United States and other penalties. In January, Kyrgyzstan warned its citizens to follow U.S. immigration law and always carry relevant documents with them.

Labor Migration Migrants Foreign Affairs migrants rights Labor migrants Meeting Delegation

Uzbekistan and Russia Hold First Meeting on Labor Migration and Migrant Rights

On April 29, an interagency delegation from Uzbekistan visited Moscow for the inaugural session of the Uzbekistan–Russia working group on labor migration and migrant rights. The Prosecutor General’s Office of Uzbekistan reported that the delegation was led by Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prosecutor General Shohrukh Aminov. The Russian delegation was headed by Deputy Prosecutor General Pyotr Gorodov and included representatives from the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Federal Security Service, and the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Internal Affairs. Uzbekistan’s delegation comprised officials from the Prosecutor General’s Office, the State Security Service, the Migration Agency, and the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Internal Affairs, and Health. During the meeting, the two sides discussed the current state of labor migration, identified ongoing challenges, and explored potential solutions. They agreed to develop joint measures to regulate legal migration while balancing the interests of both countries. The delegations also agreed to strengthen oversight of the rights of Uzbek citizens working in Russia and Russian citizens visiting Uzbekistan. Both countries’ Prosecutor General’s Offices pledged to closely monitor the protection of migrant rights. At the conclusion of the meeting, a protocol was signed outlining the decisions made. The implementation of these agreements will be jointly monitored by both Prosecutor General’s Offices. The session followed Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s recent visit to Uzbekistan, during which he stressed the importance of migrants understanding Russian laws and language. While warning of an increase in migrant-related crime, he also acknowledged Russia’s ongoing need for foreign labor.

investigation Migrants migrants rights Nationalism

Ultra-Nationalist Russian Lawmaker Sets Sights on Uzbek Community Leader

A senior Russian lawmaker has called on prosecutors to investigate Bahrom Ismailov, the former head of the Uzbek National and Cultural Autonomy Council in Moscow. Leonid Slutsky, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), said he will formally request an inquiry into Ismailov’s past activities and the process by which he acquired Russian citizenship. An ultra-nationalist, Slutsky has previously led anti-migrant rhetoric, including calls for a "Migrant Code", and a bill designed to restrict the right of migrant workers to bring their families into the country. This time, Slutsky's demand follows an interview in which Ismailov reportedly stated, “Uzbeks want to settle in Russia,” and referred to an ongoing cultural “expansion,” citing the spread of Uzbek teahouses, traditional cuisine, and the presence of large Uzbek families across the country. Slutsky accused Ismailov, who is ethnically Uzbek and now a Russian citizen, of promoting illegal migration and questioned his loyalty. “He got our citizenship, but his heart seems to be in another country,” Slutsky said. “We will check everything from how he entered Russia and legalized his stay, to how he received his education, built his business, and interacted with the Uzbek diaspora.” While describing Ismailov’s remarks as naive, Slutsky argued they raise legitimate concerns about unchecked migration and its perception among the Russian public. He also alleged that Ismailov had previously pledged to facilitate the entry of more Uzbek nationals into Russia by assisting with documentation, housing, and access to social benefits. The comments come amid heightened scrutiny of migration policy in Russia, particularly following recent security incidents and increasing nationalist sentiment. The LDPR has long advocated for stricter controls on migration and closer monitoring of ethnic and cultural organizations. Ismailov has yet to publicly responded to the allegations or the calls for investigation.

Migrants Deportation Turkmen citizens Immigration Interrogation

Turkmenistan’s Security Services Interrogate Citizens Deported from the U.S.

Citizens deported from the United States arrived in Turkmenistan in the first half of February. They were transported on a flight alongside migrants from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. After landing in Ashgabat, where 40 Turkmen citizens disembarked, the plane continued on to Tashkent. Upon arrival, all deportees were sent to their places of permanent residence, where they were interrogated by officers from the Ministry of National Security (MNS). Among the group were 13 individuals who had previously applied for asylum in the U.S. Intelligence officers are reportedly scrutinizing these individuals to determine whether they made negative statements about Turkmenistan while seeking refugee status. As a result, they are being summoned for questioning more frequently than those who were in the U.S. illegally. Also among the deportees were children of high-ranking officials at both regional and state levels. Many had previously studied at Ukrainian universities before obtaining U.S. visas and traveling abroad. According to journalists from Chronicles of Turkmenistan, a married couple was also among those deported. While no arrests have been reported, all returnees continue to be regularly summoned for questioning.

Migrants Deportation U.S. Trump

U.S.-Funded Plane Carrying Some Central Asian Migrants Lands in Costa Rica

A total of 135 migrants, including people from Central Asia, have arrived in Costa Rica on a flight from the United States, where the Trump administration has promised mass deportations and has enlisted several Latin American countries as transit points for migrants being transferred to their countries of origin. None of the migrants on the passenger plane that arrived at the international airport near the capital of San José on Thursday have been flagged by the United States as a security threat, said Omer Badilla, Costa Rica’s deputy interior minister. Costa Rica is conducting its own checks, he said. “They’re families, they’re people who don’t have any record” of criminal or allegedly criminal conduct, Badilla told local media. About half of the group are children. Costa Rica has said the migrants will be held at a temporary facility in the south of the country for up to several weeks prior to their transfer to their countries of origin. The government originally said it was expecting to receive 200 migrants on Thursday’s flight. The operation is being supervised by the International Organization for Migration, a Geneva-based United Nations agency that will take care of the migrants while they are in transit, according to the Costa Rican government. Human rights groups have expressed concern that deported migrants could face persecution in some cases if returned by force to their countries.