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Majlis Podcast: How Central Asians End Up Fighting In Russia's War In Ukraine


Russian forces have suffered thousands of casualties, according to most observers.
Russian forces have suffered thousands of casualties, according to most observers.

On March 27, a 26-year-old native of Kyrgyzstan was buried in the city of Kara-Balta. On March 25, a 19-year-old man, also a native of Kyrgyzstan, was buried in Issyk-Kul Province.

Both were killed in Ukraine, where they were part of the invading Russian Army.

On March 22, two natives of Tajikistan were buried in their homeland. Both were serving in the Russian military and were killed in Ukraine.

All had moved from their homelands and taken Russian citizenship.

There is also the recent report from The Moscow Times that Central Asian migrant laborers in Russia are being recruited by the Russian military for duty in Ukraine.

On this week's Majlis Podcast, RFE/RL's media-relations manager for South and Central Asia, Muhammad Tahir, moderates a discussion on how people from Central Asia are ending up as part of Russia's war in Ukraine, and the attempts to recruit migrant laborers from Central Asia as well.

This week's guests are: from Washington, Sher Khasimov, a freelance journalist from Tajikistan and co-author of The Moscow Times report; from Prague, Salimjon Aioub, director of RFE/RL's Tajik Service, known locally as Ozodi; Alisher Sydyk, director of RFE/RL's Uzbek Service, known locally as Ozodlik; and Central Asia analyst Bruce Pannier.

Central Asians On The Front Lines In Ukraine
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Listen to the podcast above or subscribe to the Majlis on iTunes or on Google Podcasts.

About This Blog

Qishloq Ovozi is a blog by RFE/RL Central Asia specialist Bruce Pannier that aims to look at the events that are shaping Central Asia and its respective countries, connect the dots to shed light on why those processes are occurring, and identify the agents of change.​

The name means "Village Voice" in Uzbek. But don't be fooled, Qishloq Ovozi is about all of Central Asia.

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