Kazakhstan’s crackdown is a frightening formula for authoritarians

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Kazakhstan’s crackdown is a frightening formula for authoritarians

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A high-level official’s conviction opens the door for progress on women’s rights in Kazakhstan

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Central Asia Human Rights
Kazakhstan’s crackdown is a frightening formula for authoritarians

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Central Asia Economy & Business

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Content

Op-Ed

Jan 21, 2022

Kazakhstan’s crackdown is a frightening formula for authoritarians

By Doug Klain

“Crises like the brutal crackdown in Kazakhstan show that Moscow and Beijing can work under pressure together efficiently and get the outcome they desire. It’s a formula we should expect them to repeat.” Doug Klain More about our expert

Central Asia China

EnergySource

Jan 20, 2022

By intervening in Kazakhstan, Russia strengthens its hand in China’s energy market

By Paddy Ryan

A Russian-led intervention to quell violent protests in Kazakhstan will undoubtedly come with strings attached. Kazakhstan may fall even further into Russia's energy orbit, unraveling the country's carefully crafted multi-vector foreign policy and putting its relationship with China to the test.

Central Asia Energy & Environment

BelarusAlert

Jan 17, 2022

The Putin Doctrine: Russia defends autocrats from Belarus to Kazakhstan

By Victor Tregubov

The deployment of a Russia-led military mission to Kazakhstan in early January proved to be a short-lived affair. Nevertheless, it underlined Putin’s growing role as the world’s leading defender of authoritarianism.

Belarus Central Asia

In the News

Jan 13, 2022

Ashford in Inkstick: The “blink-and-you’ll-miss-it” intervention in Kazakhstan

By Atlantic Council

On January 13, Ashford published an opinion piece on the Russian intervention in Kazakhstan. “The blink-and-you-might-miss-it intervention nonetheless provided some important reminders about security in Central Asia. Russia, for example, still has substantive interests and influence across Central Asia. Meanwhile, it appears that China is largely willing to stay hands-off on security matters in the […]

Central Asia English

In the News

Jan 13, 2022

Manning in The Hill: What Kazakhstan says about the autocracy question

By Atlantic Council

On January 13, Robert Manning published his weekly column in The Hill on the events in Kazakhstan and how they demonstrate the inherent weakness in autocracies. Manning made the point that there is widespread discontent among populations ruled by autocrats, but that the challenges facing the US internally undermine protestors in autocracies from turning to […]

Central Asia China

BelarusAlert

Jan 12, 2022

Soviet reunion in the air as USSR centenary approaches

By Brian Whitmore

2022 will see the one hundredth anniversary of the USSR. The centenary comes at a time when Russian President Vladimir Putin is increasingly reasserting Moscow's influence across the former Soviet empire.

Belarus Central Asia

In the News

Jan 10, 2022

Ashford in Politico: “Emma Ashford and Matthew Kroenig debate whether the unrest will inflame tensions between Russia and the West.”

By Atlantic Council

On January 10, Ashford and Matthew Kroenig’s “It’s Debatable” column was featured in Politico’s Global Insider newsletter. “Kazakhstan’s main military relationship is with the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), which replaced the Warsaw Pact for Russia and some Central Asian states. Tokayev has appealed for the CSTO to intervene in the ongoing unrest, and small […]

Central Asia English

In the News

Jan 9, 2022

Ashford on NPR: “Even if we wanted to intervene … we just don’t have that much leverage in Kazakhstan.”

By Atlantic Council

On January 9, Emma Ashford was interviewed by NPR Morning Edition on the Russian intervention in Kazakhstan. “Even if we wanted to intervene, even if there was a clear side upon which we thought we could intervene – which I don’t think there is – we just don’t have that much leverage in Kazakhstan. We […]

Central Asia English

BelarusAlert

Jan 9, 2022

From Kazakhstan to Belarus, aftershocks of Soviet collapse continue

By Alesia Rudnik

The crisis is Kazakhstan is a reminder that more than thirty years since the USSR ceased to exist, the aftershocks of authoritarian empire continue to shape the geopolitical landscape from Minsk to Almaty.

Belarus Central Asia

Fast Thinking

Jan 6, 2022

FAST THINKING: Is Kazakhstan’s crisis the Kremlin’s next opportunity?

By Atlantic Council

Our experts explain what this moment means for the authoritarian, energy-rich Central Asian nation—and why Russia is watching with equal parts interest and unease.

Central Asia Crisis Management
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Experts

Fellow

Rza Aliyev

Nonresident Senior Fellow, N7 Initiative

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Azerbaijani Central Asia

Staff

Katherine Spencer

Program Assistant

Eurasia Center

Central Asia Conflict

Millennium fellow

Arvid Bell

CEO, Negotiation Task Force

Millennium Leadership Program

Central Asia Economy & Business

Millennium fellow

Ramzi Abunemreh

Architectural Manager, Consolidated Contractors Company

Millennium Leadership Program

Central Asia Economy & Business

Staff

Rayhan Asat

Senior Legal & Policy Advisor, China Lead

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Central Asia China

Fellow

Ariel Cohen

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Eurasia Center

Central Asia Politics & Diplomacy
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