Ukraine - The Times Of Central Asia

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TCA Interviews

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister on Kazakhstan, Trade, and War

As Kyiv works to rebuild ties across Central Asia, Kazakhstan has become one of Ukraine’s most important regional interlocutors. The relationship has been shaped by war, trade disruption, humanitarian support, and the search for new transport routes linking Asia and Europe. The Times of Central Asia has previously reported on Ukraine’s efforts to deepen engagement with Central Asia and on Astana and Kyiv’s attempts to restore trade ties. In an interview with TCA, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha discussed Kazakhstan’s role in this changing landscape, the prospects for economic cooperation, the Middle Corridor, post-war reconstruction, and the humanitarian and cultural ties connecting the two countries. TCA: Against the backdrop of shifts in global politics and Central Asia’s growing role, Ukraine has been deepening its dialogue with the region. How are these relations being translated into practical cooperation in politics, economics, and the humanitarian sphere? Foreign Minister Sybiha: Ukraine and Kazakhstan share a long-standing, traditionally friendly relationship, not only at a governmental level, but also between our peoples. My own family history is directly connected with Kazakhstan. My father worked in your wonderful country, in Kostanay. Many of his friends still live there. He often told me that he dreams of returning one day to see them again. Personally, I associate Kazakhstan with many warm memories, including your unique cuisine. I love qazy; it is an incredibly delicious dish. Kazakhstan possesses a rich and distinctive culture, language, and national identity. I greatly admire how all of this continues to develop in modern Kazakhstan, especially how young people are embracing traditions and striving to preserve and enrich them. This is a sign of a strong nation that knows its roots and therefore has a future. Kostanay is also linked to the story of our outstanding writer, Mykola Khvylovy, who lived and worked there for a period of time. You see how much connects our countries, even if we take just one city as an example. Unfortunately, there are tragic chapters as well. It was in Kostanay that our world-renowned orientalist, Slavic scholar, and one of the founders of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, Ahatanhel Krymsky, died in imprisonment. Those were terrible times, a painful past from which we must draw the right conclusions for the present and the future. Turning to politics and global issues, I would emphasize the following: all our efforts are aimed at achieving peace. This war cannot be ended solely on the battlefield; Ukraine understands this very realistically. The question is whether Moscow is finally prepared to understand it as well. It is time to end the war and move toward diplomacy. Today, Ukrainians are defending their homes and their children with weapons in their hands against unprovoked aggression. This is an existential struggle for the future of the next generations and for the right to remain Ukrainian. This struggle did not begin four and a half or even twelve years ago. Russia’s strategic objective is to complete what the Russian Empire began and what the Soviet Union...

TCA Interviews

Ukrainian Ambassador to Kazakhstan: From Chornobyl to Zaporizhzhia – Lessons Humanity Risks Forgetting

April 26 marks a date that changed the course of world history. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster, one of the world’s worst nuclear accidents, the consequences of which are still felt today. In an interview with The Times of Central Asia, Ukraine’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Kazakhstan, Victor Mayko, spoke about the scale of the tragedy and emerging threats to nuclear safety. TCA: Forty years have passed. Why does Chornobyl remain a relevant issue today? Ambassador Mayko: Because it is not a story that has ended. It is an ongoing process, the consequences of which continue to unfold. Chornobyl is not only the explosion of a reactor; it is the long-term impact on people, nature, and the economy. In terms of scale, it is, without exaggeration, the largest manmade disaster in human history. TCA: What exactly defines that scale? Ambassador Mayko: First and foremost, the territory. Around 150,000 square kilometers were contaminated. The most dangerous area is the 10-kilometer zone. Isotopes were recorded there that had not previously been observed; they were formed as a result of processes during the explosion. According to estimates, this territory will only become suitable for habitation in about 20,000 years, once the decay of radioactive isotopes reaches safe levels. These were fertile lands, chernozem soils suitable for agriculture. Today, the area is a protected zone, essentially a vast natural reserve where wild animals live. But this is a forced outcome. TCA: As far as we know, you were personally a liquidator. What did you witness? Ambassador Mayko: I was sent there through mobilization. I spent almost a month at the plant, in two rotations. I saw people working on the reactor roof, clearing debris and removing radioactive materials. These were difficult, frightening scenes. People went there understanding the risk, but not always fully realizing its scale. TCA: How many people were affected? Ambassador Mayko: We still don’t know the exact figures. The Soviet system concealed information. I believe the immediate death toll was at least 10,000. But if we include those who later died from radiation-related illnesses, thyroid cancer, stomach cancer, and others, the number rises into the hundreds of thousands. In total, around 600,000 people took part in the cleanup. That is an enormous figure. TCA: Why was information about the accident concealed for so long? Ambassador Mayko: Because the system was built that way. Until the radioactive cloud moved beyond the borders of the USSR, there was silence. Only when elevated radiation levels were detected in Sweden, Finland, and the United Kingdom did international inquiries begin. Then the Soviet Union was forced to acknowledge the accident. TCA: How did this affect people in the first days? Ambassador Mayko: People continued living their normal lives. On May 1, there was a public demonstration. I was there myself with my family, with a small child. No one warned us about the danger. Many felt throat irritation and coughing, but didn’t understand the cause. If people had been...

Bilateral Trade

Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister: Astana and Kyiv Seeking to Restore Trade

Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister, Olexandr Mishchenko, discussed prospects for trade and economic cooperation, including the possible resumption of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation, during a meeting on April 2 with Serik Zhumangarin, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the National Economy. In comments to The Times of Central Asia, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry representative said Astana and Kyiv are aiming to restore bilateral trade. Trade between Kazakhstan and Ukraine reached approximately $5.5 billion annually before the war but has since declined sharply. However, according to Kazakh data, the situation has begun to improve. The Ministry of National Economy reported that trade turnover between the two countries totaled $415.8 million in 2025, up 5.4% from $394.3 million in 2024. Kazakhstan’s main exports to Ukraine include ferroalloys, fertilizers, and rice, while imports from Ukraine consist of chocolate and other cocoa products, flour and confectionery, medicines, cheese, and cottage cheese. [caption id="attachment_46523" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Image: Ukrainian Embassy in Kazakhstan[/caption] Astana and Kyiv also intend to expand the range of goods traded. During interdepartmental consultations held in Astana, the sides discussed trade, investment, agriculture, logistics, and humanitarian cooperation, with a focus on export diversification. They agreed to intensify business contacts, consider resuming the Intergovernmental Commission, and expand cooperation in priority sectors, particularly the agro-industrial complex. Mishchenko said the countries also plan to strengthen cooperation in the energy sector and restore logistics chains. Until 2022, Ukraine provided key transit routes for Kazakh exports to Europe. Before 2022, a significant share of Kazakhstan’s westbound trade relied on routes passing through or near Ukrainian infrastructure. The war disrupted those pathways and forced a broader regional shift toward alternative corridors, including routes across the Caspian and South Caucasus, which remain longer, more complex, and often more expensive. “Territorial integrity remains the cornerstone of our cooperation. We are deeply grateful to Kazakhstan for its humanitarian aid: more than 600 tons were collected, particularly during the winter. This support was critical to Ukraine’s resilience,” Mishchenko said. The visit marked the first trip by a senior Ukrainian government representative to Kazakhstan in recent years. A large delegation of Ukrainian entrepreneurs accompanied Mishchenko, seeking to re-establish business ties with Kazakh partners. “Ukraine is already looking toward the post-war future, and concrete proposals for cooperation, including in energy, are being developed through bilateral engagement with Kazakhstan,” Mishchenko told The Times of Central Asia. “Kazakhstan’s energy resources create opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation, including potential integration into Ukrainian markets.” Mishchenko noted that a Ukrainian business mission, the first in many years, visited Kazakhstan, including the Pavlodar Region, a major industrial hub with significant heavy industry and energy capacity. “This creates real demand for modernization, engineering solutions, and equipment supplies,” he said. The delegation held meetings with government officials, financial institutions, and business representatives, alongside regional visits aimed at launching joint projects. In Astana, talks were held with the leadership of Baiterek National Management Holding. Ukrainian entrepreneurs also visited the Astana International Financial Centre and the city administration, where they were briefed...

Ukraine

Turkmenistan Citizen Fighting for Russia in Ukraine Surrenders to Ukrainian Drone

Maksat Meredov, a citizen of Turkmenistan who had been fighting on the Russian side in Ukraine, surrendered to the Ukrainian Armed Forces by signaling a drone with a white flag. The drone operator guided him toward Ukrainian positions. According to the drone operator from the Ukrainian Pomsta (“Revenge”) brigade, military personnel were conducting reconnaissance using a thermal imager when they detected Meredov. After tracking his movements to a hiding place, the area was targeted and destroyed. Meredov then emerged, waving a white object. Recognizing it as a surrender gesture, Ukrainian forces ceased fire. The drone activated its flashing lights and maneuvered to indicate the direction Meredov should follow. Footage showed him cold and exhausted, stopping frequently and attempting to eat snow. In response, Ukrainian troops dropped water, a note, and later a hot water bottle to him via drone. During a filmed interrogation, the captive identified himself as Maksat Dovletmuradovich Meredov, born on March 24, 1980, and a citizen of Turkmenistan. “I recently came to Russia to earn money for myself and my family. The contract was signed on November 14, 2025,” Meredov stated. The video also displayed his documents. According to his passport, Meredov was born in the village of Akmeidan in Karakum district, Mary province, one of the most disadvantaged regions of Turkmenistan, known for persistent water shortages. After the rerouting of the Karakum Canal, reports indicated that some settlements in the region experienced flooding and livestock deaths, while others faced dried irrigation channels, forcing residents to drink from puddles. A Russian-issued document confirmed his identity and showed that Meredov arrived in Russia in June 2025 for work in the Krasnoyarsk territory before moving to the Vladimir region. He later signed a one-year contract with military unit 11097, based in the city of Voronezh. Similar incidents involving Turkmen nationals have been reported. In 2024, a mercenary from the town of Turkmenbashi fought in Ukraine for six months. His family used his earnings to purchase an apartment but later had to sell the property to pay a bribe to close a criminal case against him.

Caspian Pipeline Consortium

Kazakhstan Opens Criminal Probe Over Calls to Attack CPC Oil Pipeline

Kazakhstan has opened a criminal investigation into public statements that authorities say encouraged attacks on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), the main export route for the country’s crude oil, after months of disruption at the system’s Black Sea terminal turned a foreign security risk into a domestic legal and political issue. Prosecutor General Berik Asylov confirmed the case in a written reply to a parliamentary inquiry on January 6. "On December 17, 2025, the Astana City Police Department launched a pre-trial investigation under Part 1 of Article 174 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan (incitement of social, national, tribal, racial, class, or religious discord) into negative public comments regarding damage to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium," the Prosecutor General stated. The authorities have yet to name suspects, publish the posts under review, or announce any arrests. The file remains at the evidence-gathering stage, and prosecutors have left open whether any charges will ultimately be filed under Article 174, or reclassified under other provisions once investigators assess the intent and impact. The probe follows a request by Mazhilis deputy, Aidos Sarym, who said that some social media commentary crossed from opinion into encouragement of harm to strategic infrastructure, endorsed attacks on the CPC, and urged further strikes on critical sites. The political sensitivity is rooted in the 1,500-kilometer pipeline’s central role in Kazakhstan’s economy. CPC carries crude from western Kazakhstan to a marine terminal near Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, where the oil is loaded onto tankers for delivery to global markets. The pipeline is owned by a consortium that includes Kazakhstan, Russia, and several international energy companies. The system dominates Kazakhstan’s oil export economy. More than 80% of the country’s crude oil exports move through the CPC route, which also carries more than 1% of global oil supplies, making it a pressure point for both markets and state revenue when operations are disrupted. The investigation follows a period of repeated disruption at the Novorossiysk terminal in late 2025, after a naval drone strike damaged one of the offshore loading points used to transfer oil from the pipeline to tankers. The damage forced operators to suspend loadings and move vessels away while inspections and repairs were carried out, sharply reducing export capacity. The CPC relies on single-point moorings positioned at sea to load crude onto tankers, a critical constraint on the entire system; when one goes offline, capacity drops quickly. The pipeline cannot store large volumes, forcing upstream producers to cut or slow output. By late December, the impact was visible in Kazakhstan’s production figures. Oil output fell by about 6% during the month after the late November strike constrained exports. Production at the Tengiz oilfield, the country’s largest, dropped by roughly 10%. Exports of CPC Blend crude fell to about 1.08 million barrels per day in December, the lowest level in more than a year, as the terminal operated with only one functioning mooring while others remained offline due to damage and maintenance. Operational pressures continued as...

War in Ukraine

Tensions Between Kazakhstan and Ukraine Rise After Oil Infrastructure Attack

Escalating Ukrainian attacks on the Russian port of Novorossiysk on the Black Sea have caused significant damage to energy infrastucture there, drawing a sharp rebuke from Kazakhstan, which relies heavily on the facility for the transhipment of oil from Kazakh fields to international markets. In response, Ukraine said it was not targeting Kazakhstan but trying to undercut “full-scale Russian aggression” as part of a campaign that has stirred concern about global oil prices and supply. An attack by “unmanned boats” on Saturday damaged a mooring device at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium’s marine terminal on Saturday, leading to the suspension of loading operations and other activities, the consortium said. While there were no casualties among its workers nor any immediate indication that oil entered Black Sea waters, some pipelines were closed and the normal resumption of oil shipments at Novorossiysk appeared to be in question because of security concerns. “Shipments at the terminal will be carried out in accordance with established rules upon cancellation of threats from unmanned surface vessels and drones,” said the consortium, which includes energy companies from Russia, Kazakhstan, the United States and several Western European countries. Kazakhstan has tried to project neutrality in the war between Russia and Ukraine, maintaining close trade and diplomatic ties with Moscow while also, on occasion, speaking in support of Ukrainian sovereignty. But Ukraine’s latest attack on Novorossiysk, aimed at weakening Russia by targeting its oil facilities nationwide, drew an uncharacteristically blunt protest from Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “This incident marks the third act of aggression against an exclusively civilian facility whose operation is safeguarded by norms of international law. As a responsible participant of the global energy market, Kazakhstan consistently advocates for maintaining the stability and uninterrupted supply of energy resources,” the ministry said. It also said: “We view what has occurred as an action harming the bilateral relations of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Ukraine, and we expect the Ukrainian side to take effective measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.” Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also weighed in, describing the Ukrainian attack as “terrorist” and noting that “our friends in the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs” had already protested. Ukraine said it had taken into account Kazakhstan’s concerns about the pipeline consortium’s infrastructure. “We emphasize that no actions by the Ukrainian side are directed against the Republic of Kazakhstan or other third parties – all efforts of Ukraine are focused on cutting off the full-scale Russian aggression within the framework of the right to self-defense guaranteed by Article 51 of the UN Charter,” Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The Ukrainian statement also noted that Kazakhstan had not condemned Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians, residential buildings and energy systems, including nuclear power plant substations. Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. In a statement about the attack, the Caspian Pipeline Consortium said it had not been subjected to sanctions and played a significant role in “safeguarding the interests of the company's Western shareholders.”...