Defense vector: Russia expects to extend the air defense treaty with Kyrgyzstan

Moscow has no plans to abandon the agreement with Bishkek on a joint regional air defense system, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin told Izvestia. According to him, the agreement contributes to ensuring the security of both countries. Experts believe that an extension of the agreement is likely due to the terrorist threat from groups based in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, the West has stepped up the promotion of a narrative about a certain "Russian threat" in Central Asian countries in order to encourage them to abandon cooperation with the Russian Federation. Moscow is confident that its strategic partners are not interested in such scenarios and will continue to work together to protect common interests.

Military-technical cooperation between Russia and Kyrgyzstan

Moscow intends to maintain a strong position in Central Asia, including in the field of military-technical cooperation. Russia expects to extend the joint air defense agreement with Kyrgyzstan, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin told Izvestia.

— The agreement between the Russian Federation and the Kyrgyz Republic on the establishment of a Joint Regional Air Defense System dated August 16, 2022, is valid for five years and is automatically extended for subsequent five-year periods if neither side notifies the other of its intention to withdraw from it. <...> Since this agreement contributes to ensuring the security of both Russia and Kyrgyzstan, we see no reason today for its "dismantling," the diplomat said.

Izvestia sent a request to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan regarding the prospects for extending the validity of the document.

The agreement signed in 2022 entered into force a year later. The countries have agreed to conduct joint exercises, train personnel, and modernize air defense systems. Kyrgyzstan has allocated a 5-hectare site next to the Russian military base Kant, 20 km from Bishkek, for the deployment of troops and equipment.

— In fact, the Russian Federation is ready to protect the skies of Central Asia and critical infrastructure, including hydroelectric power plants, mountain trails and the city of Osh, the second capital of Kyrgyzstan. Therefore, there is a possibility that the document will be automatically extended," Polina Becker, a political scientist and Turkologist, told Izvestia.

According to her, the republic's leadership is aware of the great risks of international terrorist organizations entering its territory, in particular from Afghanistan. Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu said earlier that there are between 18,000 and 23,000 militants operating in the Islamic Emirate, which are part of more than 20 different groups. In addition, protection from drone attacks is becoming one of the key areas in ensuring security, given how quickly the Ukrainian Armed Forces' experience in using drones is transferred to various criminal elements around the world.

The regional air defense system of Russia and Kyrgyzstan has already become an integral part of the united air defense of the CIS. The Commonwealth countries conduct joint air defense exercises on an ongoing basis, using, for example, the Sary—Shagan training grounds in Kazakhstan and Ashuluk in Russia. However, the CIS is still not a military alliance, unlike the CSTO. In addition, the level of integration into the unified air defense system varies: Russia and Belarus are constantly strengthening cooperation, while Armenia does not show such interest, given Yerevan's clear desire towards Europe.

In the medium term, relations between Russia and Central Asian countries will develop dynamically, especially in the military sphere, says political analyst Denis Denisov. Therefore, it is worth counting on the extension of the agreement on a unified air defense system with Kyrgyzstan.

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How the West is trying to oust Russia from Central Asia

The United Kingdom and some EU states are systematically promoting a narrative about the alleged danger to Central Asian countries allegedly emanating from Moscow, Mikhail Galuzin told Izvestia.

"The goal is obvious — to encourage the leaders of the countries of the region to abandon equal and mutually beneficial cooperation with Russia in favor of short—term political benefits promised by the West," said the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

According to him, the West offers Russia's partners projects allegedly aimed at "economic diversification" or "protection from external threats." However, behind the beautiful words, there is clearly a desire to undermine the cooperation and historical friendship that bind the peoples of our countries. In particular, Moscow notes the desire of the United States and the EU to take control of key transport corridors and natural resources in the region. For example, Washington hosted the Central Asia–USA summit last year, which ended with the signing of a large package of bilateral economic agreements. In the spring of 2025, Uzbekistan signed agreements with American companies on the extraction of critical minerals.

— We are alarmed by the activity with which Washington is pushing through deals on critically important minerals and rare earth metals. This is not just about economic competition, but about an attempt to oust Russia and create a Western—controlled infrastructure in the immediate vicinity of our borders," Galuzin pointed out.

And in 2025, the first meeting in the EU–Central Asian format was held in Samarkand. European countries are actively offering investments and cooperation in logistics, while the UK is focusing more on the issue of security. In particular, in June last year, Kazakhstan signed a military cooperation agreement with the United Kingdom.

The Russian Deputy Foreign Minister noted that neither Russia nor its historical friends and strategic partners in Central Asia are interested in such scenarios. They will continue to work together to protect common interests and develop integration processes that leave no chance for the West to realize its geopolitical adventures in Eurasia.

Moscow consistently develops cooperation with the countries of the region through various formats. In particular, the Russia–Central Asia summits have been held since 2022, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan are not going to curtail their participation in the EAEU, and Uzbekistan is cooperating with the economic union as an observer. Almost all states in the region, except Turkmenistan, are members of the SCO, in which the Russian Federation recently proposed to create a mechanism for joint crisis response. Finally, Astana, Bishkek and Dushanbe are among Moscow's partners in the CSTO military bloc.

Polina Becker draws attention to the fact that some Central Asian countries with large armies pursue a multi-vector policy and buy weapons from other partners. Therefore, Moscow needs to closely monitor such processes in order to prevent the creation of new threats and hotbeds of tension near its borders.