As Ukraine invades Russia’s Kursk region, where are Putin’s allies?

Al Jazeera ^ | 8/16/2024 | Mansur Mirovalev

[marcusmaximus]

While Belarus’s Lukashenko has commented on the cross-border attacks, Central Asian nations stay mum.

Almost two years ago, a dozen Uzbek youngsters pleaded with their president to save them from the horrors of the Russian-Ukrainian war.

Uzbek nationals enrolled in western Russia’s Kursk Medical University recorded a video address to Shavkat Mirziyoyev in October 2022 saying their studies had been affected by Kyiv’s shelling of nearby towns and the hostilities in the neighbouring Ukrainian region of Sumy.

“Please transfer us to medical schools in Uzbekistan,” one of the students said. Uzbek diplomats pledged to assess the situation.

There have been no further reports about their fate – just like Uzbekistan’s official response to one of the war’s most daring developments – Kyiv’s incursion into Kursk.

Since August 6, Ukrainian forces have reportedly occupied dozens of villages and hamlets on more than 1,000 square kilometres (386 square miles) and captured Russian servicemen.

Uzbekistan had to respond – according to the letter of the Collective Security Treaty (CST), a military accord Tashkent signed with Russia, its Central Asian neighbours Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, and Belarus.

But only one of their leaders, the Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, has so far commented on the Kursk offensive.

[Kazan]

You know the answer -- Putin is dead AGAIN!

[Kazan]

Do you realize how screwed the Ukrainians are if the lose Polrovsk?

Rus Prepares Pokrovsk Storm. Ukr Troops: No Supplies All Sent Kursk; Rus Blames West Kursk

[marcusmaximus]

Chasiv Yar in 3 days! Bring your parade uniform!