So a symbiotic relationship between Russia and Central Asia looks likely to endure. Lenin may no longer loom large over Kyrgyzstan, but Russia will loom large over Central Asia for quite a while yet.

The annual economic forum in St. Petersburg used to yield multibillion-dollar deals and feature performances by global music stars. With the war in Ukraine still raging, the mood has shifted.

In early 2023 China considered sending Russia a batch of 122mm and 152mm shells, but there is no sign it did so on a large scale. Later that year Ukrainian troops found Chinese-made mortar shells ...