This week, we'll be covering Kazakhstan announcing the date for its upcoming constitutional referendum, controversial polling decisions in Kazakhstan, a new fighting force forming that could make the Tajikistan–Afghanistan border even more volatile, one leader returning from an unexplained absence, and several others travelling to the United States for talks that are raising eyebrows. We'll also cover a major government reshuffle in Turkmenistan, before turning to our main story: the removal of one of Kyrgyzstan's most powerful figures, and the political and geopolitical aftershocks likely to follow.

On the show this week:

- Emil Dzhuraev (Political Expert)

Hosted by Bruce Pannier and Michael Hilliard

Proudly brought to you by The Times of Central Asia and The Oxus Society for Central Asian Affairs.

For more info, please visit:

-The Times of Central Asia (https://timesca.com/)
- The Oxus Society (https://oxussociety.org/)

Follow us on Twitter on

- Spotlight on Central Asia (@SLonCentralAsia)
- Bruce Pannier (@BrucePannier)
- Michael Hilliard (@MikeHilliardAus)
- The Times of Central Asia (@TheTimesoCA)
- The Oxus Society for Central Asian Affairs (@OxusSociety)

This week, we'll be covering the B5+1 summit in Bishkek, the prospect of new EU sanctions targeting Kyrgyzstan, fresh complications around Rosatom's nuclear plans in Uzbekistan, shake-ups inside Uzbekistan's internal security services, and some genuinely surprising new drug-use statistics coming out of Tajikistan. We'll also look at the latest shootout on the Tajikistan–Afghanistan border. And then, for our main story, we will be diving into Kazakhstan's newly released draft constitution and what it signals about where the political system is heading next.

On the show this week:

- Yevgeny Zhovtis (Human Rights Activist)
- Aiman Umarova (Kazakh Lawyer)

Hosted by Bruce Pannier and Michael Hilliard

Proudly brought to you by The Times of Central Asia and The Oxus Society for Central Asian Affairs.

For more info, please visit:

-The Times of Central Asia (https://timesca.com/)
- The Oxus Society (https://oxussociety.org/)

Follow us on Twitter on

- Spotlight on Central Asia (@SLonCentralAsia)
- Bruce Pannier (@BrucePannier)
- Michael Hilliard (@MikeHilliardAus)
- The Times of Central Asia (@TheTimesoCA)
- The Oxus Society for Central Asian Affairs (@OxusSociety)

This week, we're tracking a string of developments that could reshape the region's security and political landscape, from a soldier's death in Kazakhstan triggering major shake-ups at the top of the military chain of command, to Russian TV hosts openly talking about invading Central Asia, and Tokayev changing the rules in ways that could make a future Russian intervention easier to justify. We'll also cover an Uzbek citizen being charged in Russia over their alleged role in an attack on a senior Russian military official, and more fighting along the Afghanistan–Tajikistan border. But the main story this week is our interview with the EU's Special Representative for Central Asia, who joins us to explain how Brussels is viewing the region right now and which projects the EU is putting real weight behind across the five republics. And to round things out, we'll finish on Kazakhstan's latest reforms and what they might mean for how the country is positioning itself going forward.

On the show this week:

• Eduards Stiprais (EU Special Representative for Central Asia)

Hosted by Bruce Pannier and Michael Hilliard

Proudly brought to you by The Times of Central Asia and The Oxus Society for Central Asian Affairs.

For more info, please visit:

- The Times of Central Asia (https://timesca.com/)
- The Oxus Society (https://oxussociety.org/)

Follow us on Twitter on

- Spotlight on Central Asia (@SLonCentralAsia)
- Bruce Pannier (@BrucePannier)
- Michael Hilliard (@MikeHilliardAus)
- The Times of Central Asia (@TheTimesoCA)
- The Oxus Society for Central Asian Affairs (@OxusSociety)