This week, Western media focused on Kazakhstan’s role in supporting Russia, the consequences of the tenge devaluation and the lack of public reaction from Central Asian countries to Ukraine’s actions in the Kursk region.
According to the British newspaper The Economist, Kazakhstan is helping Russia circumvent Western sanctions by re-exporting high-tech products. The article claims that over the past two years, Kazakhstan’s trade turnover with Russia and Europe has increased significantly. Exports from Kazakhstan to Russia increased from $40 million in 2021 to $298 million in 2023, while imports of electronics from Europe increased from €250 million to €709 million. The publication suggests that Kazakh companies could become intermediaries helping Russia obtain prohibited goods that could be used for military purposes
“Coordinated Silence” of Central Asia
The American magazine Diplomat notes the lack of reaction of the Central Asian countries to the operation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kursk region of Russia. The author of the publication, Otabek Akromov, points out that the attack of Ukraine exposed the weakness of the Russian strategy and destroyed the narrative of the “greatness and invincibility” of Russia. In his opinion, the silence of Russia’s allies in Central Asia demonstrates the ineffectiveness of their allied relations and shows that the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) exists only on paper. This raises the question of the real role of the CSTO, given that during previous conflicts, such as the interethnic conflict in Kyrgyzstan in 2010 and the operation of Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh, the organization did not provide the expected support.
At the same time, the Australian publication Conversation analyzes the economic situation in Kazakhstan, noting that the devaluation of the tenge in 2015 significantly affected the poor. Research has shown that after the devaluation, prices for food and other basic goods increased, with the poor being hit harder than the rich. This is because after the devaluation, the cost of living for the poor increased by 24%, while for the rich it increased by 16%.
These articles therefore highlight the complex political and economic realities that Kazakhstan faces, including pressure from Russia and the consequences of domestic economic decisions.
