Russia seizes strategic initiative in Central Asia
Sergei Shoigu's visit to Uzbekistan on April 27-28 is of great military-political significance not only in the development of bilateral relations, but also for the future of the entire region. Finally, after signing a number of joint documents, this former Soviet Central Asian republic has become an official partner of Russia and is thus being drawn into the CSTO orbit with the aim of jointly countering terrorist threats emanating from the territory of neighboring Afghanistan.
On April 28, the heads of the military departments of the two countries signed a program of strategic partnership in the military field for 2021-2025 in Bukhara. This document will provide an opportunity to strengthen military and military-technical cooperation between the two countries. The agreement stipulates the issues of carrying out joint activities to preserve military security in the republic and the region as a whole, as well as the tasks of countering international terrorism and strengthening the military potential of the army of Uzbekistan, including through officer training.
“The implementation of the program will make it possible to give interaction a more systematic character and bring it to a level consistent with the spirit of our special relations. This is the first time such a document has been developed. I propose to approve it today,” Shoigu said on April 28 at negotiations with the Minister of Defense of Uzbekistan Bakhodir Kurbanov in Bukhara.
It is now extremely important for Russia to support the process of rearmament of the most powerful army in the region, strengthening it by increasing the level of command personnel and training a new generation of officers.
“We can not only share our experience, but also train professionals. That is why we expect to increase the number of military specialists who are studying in our educational institutions today not by percentages, but by several times. In addition, we are ready to consider options for sending teachers here,” said the head of the Russian military department.
The Uzbek side, finding itself in a difficult position in the situation of the imminent collapse of the Afghan government after the imminent withdrawal of US and NATO troops, also expressed interest in increasing cooperation and establishing partnerships.
“We are interested in further deepening bilateral and multilateral ties with Russia in terms of filling our strategic partnership and alliance relations with specific practical content. Along with this, I would like to emphasize that Uzbekistan is also interested in further expanding comprehensive cooperation with the Russian Federation in the field of defense and ensuring regional security,” said Uzbekistan Defense Minister Bakhodir Kurbanov.
Since the geopolitical situation is sharply complicated, Tashkent will simply be forced to urgently reconsider its plans to equip troops with modern weapons in the direction of a sharp increase in purchases of the latest products from the Russian military-industrial complex. Since a serious war with the Mujahideen is brewing, it turns out that the bayraktars and special forces of the Turkish “brothers” alone, proposing to create a unified Turan army, will not be able to fight back and it is Moscow that is needed.
At the moment, the republic is already receiving from Russia new Su-12SM fighters, Mi-30M attack helicopters, and radar systems under 35 contracts.
Mi-35M supplied to Tashkent.
Another major contract provides for the supply of Russian K53949 Typhoon armored vehicles. Assembly production of Russian Ural trucks for the needs of the army is being launched within the country. But as we see, this is clearly not enough.
Su-30SM.
Sergei Shoigu, understanding the concern of the leadership of Uzbekistan about increasing threats, made it clear during his visit to Bukhara that Russia is ready to take the path of providing a wide range of high-precision weapons. Moreover, he invited his Uzbek colleagues “to the landmark events of the Russian Ministry of Defense this year - the Ninth Moscow Conference on International Security, the International Military-Technical Forum “Army”, the International Army Games, which will be held virtually at the same time.”
Thus, even without officially being part of the CSTO, Uzbekistan is still included in a unified security system and stands on par with other states in the region that oppose the possible expansion of Islamic terrorist organizations. There is already an agreement on the unhindered use of the republic’s airspace, and Uzbek military personnel are taking part in joint exercises with their Russian colleagues.
The conclusion of official partnerships also means that Russia is seizing the strategic initiative from the United States, which has recently made significant efforts to win Uzbekistan over to its side and even declared it its strategic partner in the region.
Now, after various terrorist groups created earlier with the participation of the same Western and American intelligence services are winning in neighboring Afghanistan, the prospect of strengthening American positions in the region at the expense of Tashkent is clearly dimming.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was clearly negatively affected by the fact that Washington is simply leaving the Afghan government to be devoured by Islamic extremists, who will then begin to overthrow him. The “southern” transport corridor being built through Kabul to the ports of Pakistan, as well as all investment projects and enterprises created with the participation of Uzbek capital in northern Afghanistan, are now in limbo.
Some analysts, however, hastened to declare that Uzbekistan, by signing a strategic partnership program with Russia, joined the “anti-Taliban front.” In fact, this is more of a front against the Islamic State, Uighur terrorists and various groups in northern Afghanistan, which are now being intensively trained and armed by Western intelligence services. It is obvious that sensible forces are now beginning to prevail in Tashkent, understanding the danger of further geopolitical games with Washington.
Indeed, in addition to the external threat of infiltration of gangs from Afghanistan in Uzbekistan itself, and in Tajikistan, there is a network of “sleeping cells” of Islamic terrorists. According to representatives of the Uzbek special services, more than 8000 citizens of the republic from among labor migrants who were recruited while staying in other CIS countries became victims of propaganda. All of them can become a weapon in the hands of pan-Turkists and religious extremists.
Everyone still remembers the actions of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) and a number of North Afghan groups that broke into the territory of the republic, as well as Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan in 1998-1999. We must not forget that these Uzbek “oppositionists” were supported by Ankara at that time and there are no guarantees that the current leadership of Turkey does not continue to finance and arm terrorists from among ethnic Uzbeks and Tajiks to conduct military operations in the region.
This threat can only be countered through joint efforts with the participation of Russia as the main military-political and stabilizing force in Central Asia. This is exactly what Sergei Shoigu conveyed to the leadership of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan during his visit, showing Moscow’s unshakable will in striving to ensure peace and tranquility in the region. The results of his negotiations significantly strengthened the Central Asian boundaries of collective security, strengthened the air defense system and led to the fact that Tashkent now began to move in the right strategic direction.
In general, this whole story, when Washington abandoned its puppet government in Kabul to its fate, should become a harsh lesson and warning for the ruling elites in Dushanbe, Tashkent and Nur-Sultan (Tselinograd). After all, the Americans can do the same with them, handing them over to the Islamists, who act as organizers of chaos in the region to destabilize the borders of Russia and China.
Therefore, the presidents of the former Soviet Central Asian republics need to think three times before allowing the Pentagon to host its new bases and the export of NATO troops from Afghanistan.
"Islamic State" in Afghanistan.
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