https://www.rferl.org Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty is an international news organization serving Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Russia, the Middle East and Balkan countries https://www.rferl.org/Content/responsive/RFE/en-US/img/logo.png https://www.rferl.org en Copyright 2026 - RFE/RL, Inc. 60 Sun, 19 Apr 2026 08:22:16 +0200 Pangea CMS – RFE/RL As expected, the launching of US and Israeli air strikes on Iran -- and retaliatory strikes by Tehran on targets in the Mideast -- has hit the economies of the region. But the shockwaves are arguably being felt just as much in Central Asian nations who rely on goods flowing through Iran. https://www.rferl.org/a/central-asia-fallout-gulf-war-iran-us/33731180.html https://www.rferl.org/a/central-asia-fallout-gulf-war-iran-us/33731180.html Tue, 14 Apr 2026 06:37:56 +0200 IranNewsFeaturesKazakhstanKyrgyzstanTajikistanTurkmenistan UzbekistanThe Rundown Stories Like many Central Asian citizens in Iran, Kyrgyz nationals are facing life under US-Israeli strikes. Two citizens spoke to RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service of their experiences: some remain in Tehran, watching explosions from their homes, while others have been evacuated to Baku after long, tense journeys. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-war-us-israeli-krygyz-citizen-tehran/33696153.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-war-us-israeli-krygyz-citizen-tehran/33696153.html Thu, 05 Mar 2026 15:45:21 +0100 IranFeaturesAzerbaijanKyrgyzstanTajikistanThe Rundown StoriesMiddle East European Union sanctions envoy David O’Sullivan arrived in Bishkek for high-level meetings with Kyrgyz officials amid concerns that some financial channels and trade flows in Kyrgyzstan are being used to circumvent sanctions against Russia. https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-sanctions-envoy-kyrgyzstan-russia-sanctions-circumvention/33688855.html https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-sanctions-envoy-kyrgyzstan-russia-sanctions-circumvention/33688855.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 18:31:38 +0100 NewsKyrgyzstanThe Rundown Stories Months after Russia’s language and registration rules took effect, thousands of Central Asian children remain shut out of schools, forcing families to return home and leaving education gaps behind. https://www.rferl.org/a/migrant-children-return-central-asia-russia-school-rules/33682251.html https://www.rferl.org/a/migrant-children-return-central-asia-russia-school-rules/33682251.html Mon, 23 Feb 2026 08:54:27 +0100 FeaturesKyrgyzstanRussiaTajikistanUzbekistanThe Rundown Stories Kyrgyzstan's Lake Issyk-Kul has been shrinking at an alarming rate over the past decade, receding by up to 10 meters in some places, according to research. One of the world's largest alpine lakes is threatened by climate change, drought, and melting glaciers. https://www.rferl.org/a/central-asia-s-water-tower-is-drying-up-as-glaciers-vanish/33682546.html https://www.rferl.org/a/central-asia-s-water-tower-is-drying-up-as-glaciers-vanish/33682546.html Thu, 19 Feb 2026 17:23:05 +0100 VideosKyrgyzstanVideo ArchiveThe Rundown Stories Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov dismissed Kamchybek Tashiev as chairman of the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) on February 10 and appointed Jumgalbek Shabdanbekov as acting chairman amid rising political tensions in the Central Asian nation. https://www.rferl.org/a/kyrgyzstan-president-reshuffle-reshuffle-political-tensions/33674256.html https://www.rferl.org/a/kyrgyzstan-president-reshuffle-reshuffle-political-tensions/33674256.html Tue, 10 Feb 2026 14:35:37 +0100 NewsKyrgyzstanThe Rundown Stories A brawl between Chinese and Kyrgyz construction workers in Kyrgyzstan has sparked an anti-Chinese backlash on social media. https://www.rferl.org/a/kyrgyzstan-chinese-workers-brawl/33594905.html https://www.rferl.org/a/kyrgyzstan-chinese-workers-brawl/33594905.html Wed, 19 Nov 2025 12:48:29 +0100 KyrgyzstanFeaturesThe Rundown StoriesChina A fight broke out between Chinese and Kyrgyz construction workers in Kyrgyzstan on November 15, igniting a wave of anti-Chinese comments on Kyrgyz social networks. Officials are calling for calm, while some observers see a broader pattern of discontent with China's growing presence in Kyrgyzstan. https://www.rferl.org/a/kyrgyzstan-chinese-workers-brawl-backlash/33595044.html https://www.rferl.org/a/kyrgyzstan-chinese-workers-brawl-backlash/33595044.html Tue, 18 Nov 2025 23:06:38 +0100 KyrgyzstanChina Serbia has become a magnet for migrant workers from Kyrgyzstan. Serbia allows for visa-free travel for Kyrgyz citizens, and is increasingly seen as a safer alternative to Russia following Moscow's crack down on Central Asian migrants. But some migrants claim to have been victims of fraud in Serbia. https://www.rferl.org/a/kyrgyz-migrants-flock-to-serbia-amid-harsh-treatment-in-russia/33560706.html https://www.rferl.org/a/kyrgyz-migrants-flock-to-serbia-amid-harsh-treatment-in-russia/33560706.html Sun, 19 Oct 2025 13:14:53 +0200 VideosKyrgyzstanSerbiaVideo Archive Central Asia is reeling from the effects of Russia's fuel export restrictions triggered by Ukrainian attacks on its oil refineries. While countries like Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan struggle with price hikes and shortages, others like Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are attempting to diversify their sources. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-export-ban-central-asia/33559892.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-export-ban-central-asia/33559892.html Wed, 15 Oct 2025 08:03:43 +0200 FeaturesKazakhstanKyrgyzstanRussiaTajikistanTurkmenistan UzbekistanThe Rundown Stories The children of Central Asians working in Russia are in the crosshairs as Moscow clamps down on migrants. Some children have been barred from studying in Russian schools, while others have been denied reentry into Russia. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-migrants-central-asia-kyrgyzstan-crackdown/33526827.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-migrants-central-asia-kyrgyzstan-crackdown/33526827.html Wed, 17 Sep 2025 00:05:04 +0200 RussiaFeaturesKyrgyzstanTajikistanThe Rundown Stories In Kyrgyzstan, teens are being recruited into Russia’s Alabuga Polytech, a technical school linked to combat drone production, under the guise of career training. Despite its military ties, the school is backed by local institutions, raising alarm over youth involvement in a foreign war. https://www.rferl.org/a/alabuga-polytechnic-kyrgyzstan-school-recruitment-chui-russia-tatarstan/33495162.html https://www.rferl.org/a/alabuga-polytechnic-kyrgyzstan-school-recruitment-chui-russia-tatarstan/33495162.html Sun, 10 Aug 2025 00:01:03 +0200 FeaturesKyrgyzstanRussiaRussia Invades UkraineThe Rundown Headline RFE/RL spotlights five Central Asian athletes who have turned adversity into triumph. From a paralyzed man turned ultramarathoner to a blind Paralympian and a Premier League soccer pioneer, these remarkable sportspeople have shown how resilience and courage can transcend barriers and inspire others. https://www.rferl.org/a/central-asia-sports-athletes-overcome-adversity-inspiration/33487419.html https://www.rferl.org/a/central-asia-sports-athletes-overcome-adversity-inspiration/33487419.html Wed, 30 Jul 2025 00:28:41 +0200 KyrgyzstanFeaturesKazakhstanTajikistanTurkmenistan UzbekistanThe Rundown Stories With global scrutiny escalating over a Kyrgyzstan-registered cryptocurrency exchange allegedly moving billions of dollars in just a few months, the deafening silence from Kyrgyz officials is raising urgent concerns about the country’s readiness to regulate its burgeoning digital assets sector. https://www.rferl.org/a/kyrgyzstan-grinex-crypto-currency-russia-sanctions-evasion/33470887.html https://www.rferl.org/a/kyrgyzstan-grinex-crypto-currency-russia-sanctions-evasion/33470887.html Mon, 14 Jul 2025 00:01:42 +0200 KyrgyzstanFeaturesThe Rundown Stories