The Rising Value of Russian Security Provision in Central Asia following the U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan

Abstract

Politico-security support has always been a major element of Russia's relationship with most of the post- Soviet Central Asian republics. The U.S. withdrawal from, and the Taliban's seizure of control over most of, Afghanistan has thus likely increased its value in the eyes of the region's incumbent regimes. The Russian military's potential to deter armed groups considering an incursion into Central Asia also has value for extra-regional players, notably China.