Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and neighbours from Central Asia are playing increasingly boldly between Russia, China and the West, utilizing the fact that Putin is stuck in the war in Ukraine. The latest symbol is the Uzbek Samarkand-2028 satellite, launched on 5 August 2026 with the participation of China. For Poland it is simply a lesson of hard realism.
The South of the Russian Empire is seeking breath
Central Asia accelerates its own game. As the OKO.press points out, the countries of the region are increasingly exploiting Moscow's weakness after full-scale aggression against Ukraine. Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan do not break up with Russia spectacularly. They're doing something more dangerous to the Kremlin: they're expanding the maneuvering field.
This is real politics, not academic slogan. Russia has treated this area for decades as a natural base of its own power. Language, infrastructure, army, economical migrations and post-Soviet institutions were to keep dependence. The war in Ukraine changed the bill. The Kremlin is inactive strong, but it stopped looking like an inevitable superior.
For Poland, the proposal is simple. Empires weaken erstwhile their peripheries see the cost of obedience. Warsaw should look at this process coolly, without romanticist illusions, but with clear awareness of the stakes: any weakening of Russian force in the south reduces Moscow's freedom of action besides in our part of Europe.
Uzbekistan focuses on space and China
The most clear symbol of the fresh era is Samarkand-2028. Uzbek government sources study that The hyperspectral Samarkand-2028 satellite was launched into orbit on 5 August 2026., and the task was created in cooperation with Uzbekcosmos with the Chinese company STAR.VISION. This fact is more crucial than method curiosity.
Uzbekistan shows that modernity, data, precision agriculture, resource monitoring and urban planning do not gotta go through Moscow. The authoritative Uzbekcosmos message clarified that Samarkand-2028 is not a national satellite of Uzbekistan, but a Chinese Earth reflection satellite implemented in cooperation with the Uzbek agency. It's an crucial distinction. However, it does not change direction: Tashkent builds competence and relationships outside the Russian centre.
China doesn't do it out of charity. Beijing consistently strengthens infrastructure and technological influences in Eurasia. DN has already written that China and Russia build military cooperation without formal treaty. In Central Asia, both countries can cooperate but besides compete. For local capitals it is an opportunity.
Kazakhstan speaks with its own voice
Kazakhstan has long pursued a cautious, multi-vector policy. He doesn't smoke bridges with Moscow, but he doesn't want to be a Russian addition. Symbolic gestures substance here. OKO.press draws attention to situations where Kazakhs accentuate their own language and separateness towards Putin. It's a trifle for those who don't realize the politics of empires.
Language in the post-Soviet space is simply a tool of sovereignty. If Moscow has presented Russia for years as the default code of the region, public usage of national languages towards the Kremlin is simply a political message. No request to shout. All you gotta do is consistently talk with your voice.
Kazakhstan besides has peculiar reasons for caution. The long border with Russia, the large Russian-speaking population and economical dependency make Asta act without fuss. But realism does not mean submission. This kind of cool game should be of interest to Poland more than exotic stories about the steppe.
Moscow loses its monopoly, Beijing does not give freedom for free
The weakening of the Russian monopoly does not mean automatic freedom of the region. China enters there with capital, technology, credit and its own interests. The West is trying to make up for diplomatic and economical presence. Turkey refers to Turkish ties. The Gulf States are looking for investment. Everyone brings an offer, but nobody works without a profit account.
This is where real national politics begin. tiny and medium-sized countries cannot afford moral naivety. They must compare pressures, bind partners to competition and defender their own ownership. Central Asia is doing precisely what the elites in Central Europe frequently lack: it does not confuse sympathy with business.
Russia will proceed to effort to regain its influence. It will usage media, economy, migration, regional organisations and safety pressures. In Poland we know this method besides well. DN described how Russia plays with emotions and disinformation to disrupt Warsaw and Kiev. In Central Asia, the mechanics is different in detail, but akin in logic: keep dependence and punish independence.
Lesson for Poland
Poland is not as dense as Russia, China or Turkey in Central Asia. However, it can draw crucial lessons from this process. The state of serious is seeking area for manoeuvre before being placed against the wall. It builds its own channels, cares about economy, technology, army and diplomacy. He's not giving the future back to 1 protector.
The war in Ukraine has shown that the Russian power has limits. She besides showed that the vacuum after Russia would gladly be filled by others. If Central Asian countries can play a large game between powers, Poland should be more afraid with its sovereignty in the European Union, NATO and relations with its neighbours.
The Kremlin pays for aggression not only on the front. He pays for his authority. And erstwhile the periphery of the empire begins to talk to another capitals without asking Moscow for permission, that means that past has truly moved.
Source: OKO.press, Government of Uzbekistan, Uzbekcosmos, Kremlin.ru.
Source: OKO.press
