Month: February 2022

"It is not a postponement. The meeting will begin in the morning. The reason is the Ukrainian delegation’s logistics," a source told TASS in an interview.

Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, who leads the Russian delegation to the talks, said earlier that an agreement had been reached with the Ukrainian side on Sunday to hold talks in Belarus’ Gomel region.

The Russian delegation has already left Minsk and is heading for the talks’ venue, which, according to a TASS source, will not be disclosed.

TASS, citing Strana publication, says the Ukrainian delegation members include head of the faction of the ruling Sluha Narodu (Servant of the People) party David Arakhamiya, MP of Ukraine from the Opposition Platform — For Life (OPFL) party Igor Abramovich, deputy defense minister and several other persons.

David Arakhamiya reportedly stated that Ukraine needs to hear and calmly weigh all proposals at the negotiations with Russia.

Meanwhile, CNN reports that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office said Belarus President Aleksander Lukashenko called the Ukrainian President earlier Sunday.

"The politicians have agreed that the Ukrainian delegation will meet with the Russian delegation without preconditions on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, near the Pripyat River," his office said.

"Aleksander Lukashenko has taken responsibility for ensuring that all planes, helicopters and missiles stationed on the Belarusian territory will remain on the ground during the Ukrainian delegation's travel, meeting and return," the office continued.

Source: Asia-Plus

Kyrgyzstan’s AKIpress reported on February 26 that President Sadyr Japarov had a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between their countries.

At the same time, AKIpress, citing the Kremlin, says Sadyr Japarov noted Kiev’s responsibility for its failure to abide by the Minsk agreements and expressed support for the decisive actions undertaken by the Russian side to protect civilians in Donbass.

On February 25, President Putin had a telephone conversation with his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev

Press Service of Uzbekistan President says the parties discussed topical issues related to bilateral cooperation between Uzbekistan and Russia.

They reportedly also exchanged views on a number of regional and international issues being of mutual interest.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin stated that Mirziyoyev “expressed understanding regarding the actions taken by the Russian side.”

Eurasianet says the confusion generated by these contradictory accounts prompted Mirziyoyev’s press secretary to issue a clarificatory statement to make Tashkent’s evident unease with events in Ukraine more explicit.

“I would like to emphasize that Uzbekistan takes a balanced, neutral position on this matter,” Sherzod Asadov said in a Facebook post in English, according to Eurasianet.

“All disputes and disagreements that arise must be addressed solely on the basis of the international law norms,” Asadov noted.

Eurasianet notes that the leaders of Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, both of which enjoy strong economic and strategic relations with Russia, are not known to have been in contact with Putin since the invasion began this week. Both countries have reportedly avoided making any public pronouncements on the unfolding situation.

Source: Asia-Plus

“As you know airport operations in 12 Russian southern cities have been suspended. Tajikistan has operated flights to Krasnodar, Rostov-on-Don and Voronezh,” said the source. “Flights to these cities have been suspended and flights scheduled to the abovementioned cities will be operated to other nearby airports.”

According to him, it is a temporary measure and the flights to Krasnodar, Rostov-on-Don and Voronezh are expected to resume on March 2 “and then it depends on the situation.”

Russian media reports say operations are suspended in the flowing airports: Rostov-on-Don (Platov), Krasnodar (Pashkovsky), Anapa (Vityazevo), Gelendzhik, Elista, Stavropol, Belgorod, Bryansk, Oryol, Kursk, Voronezh and Simferopol.

Source: Asia-Plus

In a lengthy televised speech on February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin formally recognized the independence of two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine — the self-proclaimed “Donetsk People’s Republic” and “Lugansk People’s Republic.”

He described Ukraine as “historically Russian land” that was stolen from the Russian empire and has since fallen into the hands of neo-Nazis and corrupt “puppets” controlled by the West.

Central Asia was not only part of the Soviet Union but for decades before that was part of the Russia Empire also.

And Russian officials, including President Putin, have said publicly that there never was such a thing as a Kazakh state, for example.

There is still a large Russian population in northern Kazakhstan in areas along the Russian border. During the 1990s, a small but vocal group of them called for the Russian annexation of areas in northern Kazakhstan, similar to the situation in Donetsk and Luhansk.

As for separatism in Central Asia, there is Karakalpakstan in western Uzbekistan, where some have been calling for independence for 30 years.

In Tajikistan, many in the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) would at least like greater autonomy from the central government.

And due to maps drawn in Soviet times, there are large diasporas in every Central Asian state, according to Radio Liberty.

Source: Asia-Plus

The Ukrainian delegation members reportedly include Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov and presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak among others.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov says the Russian delegation members include officials from the foreign and defense ministries as well as president’s office.

Earlier the Ukrainian president’s office said Kiev’s goal for the discussions was an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of all Russian forces from Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has asked the European Union to immediately admit Ukraine as a member state via a special procedure.

“Our goal is to be with all Europeans and, most importantly, to be equal. I’m sure that’s fair. I am sure we deserve it,” he said in a video speech shared on social media.

Source: Asia-Plus

According to him, most Tajiks living in Ukraine are labor migrants working in the agrarian and construction sectors as well as in commerce.

“A total number of Tajik students studying in Ukraine is 101 people. They are studying at universities in Kiev, Odessa, Kharkov, Dnepr, Poltava and some other cities,” Ambassador Nazrizoda noted.

In connection with situation that has developed in Ukraine, Tajikistan’s diplomatic mission in Kiev has switched to 24/7 operation, the ambassador said, adding that a 24-hour hotline -- +380933361040 – now operates for nationals of Tajikistan.

Tajikistan’s Embassy in Kiev is reportedly drawing up the list of our citizens wishing to leave Ukraine and considering the issue of evacuation of Tajik nationals from Ukraine in case of necessity.

“Citizens' appeals have begun almost from the beginning of the military operation. Today, some our nationals move to Lvov and other cities of western Ukraine, where is safer. Our citizens also freely go to Moldova. Besides, today there is an opportunity to go to Romania without a visa, and from there fly to other countries by plane, for example to Turkey, and from there to Dushanbe,” Mr. Nazrizoda said.

Source: Asia-Plus