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Chechen Leader Kadyrov Denies Involvement in Attack on Allamjonov

On October 26 Uzbek media reported an attack on the former head of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's information department, Komil Allamjonov. At around 1:40a.m., near his home in Tashkent’s Kibray district, two unidentified individuals fired several shots at the car he was in before fleeing. Fortunately, no one was injured. The weapon type remains unknown. Authorities have opened an attempted murder case and are searching for the suspects. However, the General Prosecutor’s Office has not confirmed whether Allamjonov was specifically targeted in the incident. Some opposition media have suggested a “Chechen connection” implicating Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov in the attack on Allamjonov. In response, Kadyrov denied involvement, stating that the media attributed the incident to him. “I don’t want to respond to this provocative leak. Moreover, work in all spheres, including information and law enforcement, is excellently organized in Uzbekistan thanks to the wise policy of the respected President Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev. I will only add that if I had really planned something, I would have completed it and with a 100% result,” he stated. Kadyrov emphasized the close ties between Chechens and Uzbeks, describing them as “brotherly peoples with a common historical past.” He added: “I regard this information leak as a tool of political play by some third parties and a clear attempt to sow discord between our countries. I am sure that other publications in the style of Western fakes will follow. Be that as it may, my dear brothers in Uzbekistan and I will definitely find out who is behind this provocative information leak.” The General Prosecutor’s Office stated that the investigation is ongoing, and promised further updates.

Politics Foreign Policy Foreign Affairs Bilateral Cooperation Russia

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov Arrives in Astana

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has arrived in Astana to talk with Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu. The visit, which began on the evening of November 6, will last two days. A key meeting topic will be preparations for Russian President Vladimir Putin's upcoming visit to Kazakhstan. According to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, the parties plan to discuss strategic partnership and alliance, including bilateral and international issues, and cooperation on integration platforms such as the EAEU, CSTO, CIS, and SCO. During the visit, the foreign ministers will sign an action plan on cooperation for 2025-2026. In addition, Lavrov will deliver a lecture at the Diplomatic Institute of the Academy of Public Administration and visit the Holy Dormition Cathedral to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Astana and Alma-Ata Diocese of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District. Lavrov and Nurtleu last met on September 26 at the UN General Assembly, where they discussed current issues of Russia-Kazakhstan relations, upcoming contacts, and interaction on international platforms. Russia and Kazakhstan have an extensive treaty and legal framework, and the upcoming talks may focus on new interagency documents. In late October, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Putin's visit to Kazakhstan is being actively prepared and is tentatively scheduled for November 27, according to the protocol of the intergovernmental commission.

Construction Russia Japan Infrastructure Development Green Transport

Ashgabat May Have a Metro System by 2035

Vladimir Petruk, managing director of Interbudmontazh Company, told the CIET-2024 international conference that a metro system may be built in Turkmenistan's capital Ashgabat by 2035. Petruk said that specialists from the Japanese company Sumitomo, the Japanese Subway Association, and the German consulting group K2 have studied Ashgabat's geological and seismic conditions. The study's results confirmed the possibility of building the subway using reinforced concrete structures. The Ashgabat metro plan calls for an environmentally friendly transportation solution. In the future, it could connect the capital with the “smart city” Arkadag and the settlements of Geokdepe and Anau. According to forecasts, construction could be completed by 2035. “Given the growing wealth and the increasing number of cars, the metro will become essential to solve the city's transportation problems,” Petruk emphasized, noting the successful experience of operating metros in seismically active regions. Consultations with the Ministry of Construction and Architecture of Turkmenistan are ongoing, and the UN mission plans to cooperate with the country to support the urban infrastructure development program. Turkmenistan currently does not have a metro. The idea of building a metro in Ashgabat has been discussed since 2008 when the city mayor's office attracted companies from St. Petersburg to the project. In 2014, then-President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov instructed the Ukrainian construction association Interbudmontazh to consider the possibility of realizing this project. In 2020, the company presented the Ashgabat metro construction project developed jointly with Sumitomo and K2. However, specific dates for the start of construction and commissioning of the metro in Ashgabat have not yet been announced.

Grain export Wheat export International trade Agricultural Export Russia Agriculture

Grain War: Has Kazakhstan Become Russia’s Victim?

The fall brought two headaches for Kazakhstani farmers: a rich grain harvest that coincided with an oversupply of grain on world markets, and Russia's ban on exporting Kazakh wheat to and transiting through Russia. Experts complain about the 40% failure of Kazakhstani grain exports, and representatives of farmer associations complain about low prices and high production costs and ask the government to buy their surplus products. The background is talk of a grain war between Moscow and Astana. Phytosanitary ban According to Kazakhstan's Ministry of Agriculture, this year the harvested area of crops amounted to 23.3 million hectares, of which 16.7 million were sown with cereals. Fieldwork has been completed by 99.7%. 26.5 million tons of grain were threshed. Proponents of the opinion that the agricultural authorities of Kazakhstan and Russia have entered into a hidden confrontation for external grain markets argue that Kazakhstan is a victim of this trade war. They cite the restrictions imposed by Rosselkhoznadzor in October as evidence. On October 1, the Russian agency asked Kazakhstan's Ministry of Agriculture to suspend the issuance of phytosanitary certificates for grain and its products, tomatoes, peppers, and sunflower seeds exported to the Russian Federation. On October 3, journalists asked Vice-Minister of Agriculture Ermek Kenzhekhanuly about the stage of fulfillment of this wish. He replied that the Russian side received a reply letter requesting evidence of phytosanitary control violations. According to him, Rosselkhoznadzor had not responded as of October 3. On October 17, the Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance temporarily banned imports of several types of agricultural goods from Kazakhstan. Transit of wheat, lentils, and oilseed flax seeds through Russia's territory is allowed. Still, a phytosanitary certificate for the country of final destination must be issued, and grain must be transshipped directly from railcars into the ship's holds. At the same time, deliveries of tomatoes, peppers, sunflower seeds, and melons from Kazakhstan are prohibited, even for transit. Obstacles in response to the ban However, let's carefully review the Kazakhstani press. We will find that as early as September 3rd, Kazakhstani farmers sounded the alarm—Russia is pushing our grain out of traditional markets. Representatives of the Grain Union of Kazakhstan discussed the problems Kazakh traders face with the transit of domestic grain through the territory of the Russian Federation at a session with journalists at the Agricom forum. However, they cited only two cases of such restrictions but tried to convey another message—Russia has introduced hidden obstacles because of Kazakhstan's ban on grain imports from the Russian Federation, which was imposed as early as August 1. As reported by Kazakhstan's Ministry of Agriculture, the restrictions imply a complete ban on wheat imports by all modes of transportation. Previously, the restrictive measures provided for a ban on imports of goods by road, water, and rail (except for imports to poultry and flour mills) since April. The decision was made because, despite the previous ban, grain imports from Russia exceeded 1.1 million tons in six months. Experts considered...

Russia Nuclear power Electricity supply Nuclear Referendum Energy Security

Kazakhstan’s Return to Nuclear Power: TCA in Association with American Foreign Policy Council Hosts Inaugural Burgut Expert Talk

On October 6 of this year, the people of Kazakhstan participated in a referendum to decide whether nuclear power should become a part of their daily lives, or whether the haunting legacy of atomic testing would continue to limit the country’s progress in this area. The official preliminary results, released on October 7, showed that 71.12% of participants agreed to the construction of a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan with a voter turnout of 63.66%. President Tokayev’s goal in holding a referendum was to ensure that arguments in favor of nuclear energy were compelling, and that citizens, scientists, and government officials were involved in the decision-making process. Tokayev has since suggested that an “international consortium made up of global companies equipped with cutting-edge technologies” should be involved in the project. In partnership with the American Foreign Policy Council, on October 30, 2024, The Times of Central Asia convened a virtual event to discuss what the referendum result means for energy security, geopolitics, and new business opportunities for both regional and global actors. Moderating this event was Mamuka Tsereteli, Senior Fellow for Eurasia at the American Foreign Policy Council, whilst the panel comprised Askar Alimzhanov, Senior Editor at The Times of Central Asia, Stephen M. Bland, Senior Editor and Head of Investigations at The Times of Central Asia, and James Walker, CEO and Head of Reactor Development at NANO Nuclear Energy. Focusing on a local perspective, Askar Alimzhanov told those in attendance that “Kazakhstan is in tough situation today regarding the issue of energy dependence. Because we have the largest nuclear test site in the world and during around 50 years there were just under 500 atomic tests, we all know about the possible consequence. As consumers, however, we’ve seen prices rise around 26% in one year. The population of the country is growing, so when we talk about the annual growth in energy consumption, this is a natural process. “Since the majority of voters have already made their decision, the main question which remains is who will build it? However, serious concerns persist within society including the fear of corruption, which can result in poor quality structures. As an example, we can talk about the light rail transportation network in Astana, which started in 2009 and still isn’t finished. The officials who stole the money, they still have those funds abroad.” [video width="1920" height="1080" mp4="https://timesca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Burgut-Expert-Talk-Kazakhstans-Return-to-Nuclear-Power1.mp4"][/video] Speaking about energy dependence and geopolitical considerations, Stephen M. Bland noted that “Kazakhstan's energy landscape is characterized by a reliance on aging thermal power plants, which are increasingly unable to meet the demands of a growing population and economy, with electricity shortages projected to worsen, particularly in the rapidly developing southern regions. The construction of a nuclear power plant, therefore, is seen as a crucial step toward alleviating these shortages, reducing dependence on overpriced imports from Russia, and achieving carbon neutrality goals. “The construction of Kazakhstan's first nuclear power plant presents both challenges and opportunities for the country's energy independence and regional influence. On one hand, developing a robust nuclear energy sector could...

Russia Oil & Gas Export of Natural Gas Natural gas Gasprom

Russia’s Zakharova: Gas Deliveries to Uzbekistan Surpass Five Billion Cubic Meters

According to Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, Russian gas supplies to Uzbekistan, which started in October 2023, have now surpassed five billion cubic meters. She noted that in 2023, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan initiated a two-year agreement to deliver Russian gas through Kazakhstan via a contract between Gazprom and UzGasTrade. “As of today, the volume of gas supplies has exceeded five billion cubic meters. Russian companies Gazprom and LUKOIL are advancing multiple projects to develop gas fields within Uzbekistan. The parties are set on gradually expanding their cooperation in the gas sector. There are, in fact, no bilateral issues that might slow down this energy partnership,” Zakharova shared at a recent briefing. She added that “all matters are being addressed constructively, with energy discussions being a regular part of high-level and interdepartmental negotiations.” This year, key meetings featured talks on energy cooperation, including Russian President Vladimir Putin’s state visit from May 26-28 and Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin’s visit on September 9-10. “Energy collaboration is a core component of our bilateral relationship, with our foreign policy departments maintaining close contact and offering the needed political and diplomatic support to keep this cooperation moving forward,” Zakharova highlighted.