Russian state propagandist Vladimir Solovyov stated that Russia "lost" Armenia and is "losing" Central Asia. This was reported by the Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (CPD), informs UNN.
Details
Thus, Solovyov openly called for wars against these countries in order not to "lose their sphere of influence."
At the same time, the CPD indicates that by the end of 2025, a sharp reduction in the issuance of Russian passports to citizens of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan was recorded. At the same time, for citizens of the Republic of Tajikistan, this process has practically stopped, as there were only isolated cases during the year, while in 2022, Russia issued more than 173,000 passports to Tajiks.
Traditionally, Moscow used labor migration and simplified acquisition of citizenship as a tool of "soft power" and political influence on Central Asian states, which led to mass recruitment of citizens of these countries into the Russian army. Limiting access of migrants from the region to the Russian labor market and citizenship led to the loss of this leverage and significantly undermined loyalty to the Kremlin
It is noted that against this background, Central Asian countries are increasingly actively reorienting themselves towards other global and regional players. These processes are taking place not only in the economic sphere, but also at the mental and psychological levels, which indicates a systemic distancing of the region from the Russian Federation.
"Thus, Russia's harsh migration policy and xenophobic practices have the opposite effect: instead of strengthening its influence, the Kremlin is accelerating the loss of its positions in Central Asia, despite propagandistic statements about "historical unity" and "strategic partnership."
Recall
In December 2025, Ukrainian intelligence discovered more than 150 foreigners from 25 countries recruited into the Russian army, with about 200 more preparing to join. The main sources of recruitment are post-Soviet states and countries of the Global South.