Russian official: Central Asian countries refuse to host Western military infrastructure

Deputy Secretary of the Russian Security Council, Alexei Shevtsov, confirmed that Moscow's Central Asian allies categorically refuse to host any Western military infrastructure on their territory.

These statements came during his participation in a discussion session entitled “Collective Security Treaty Organization and Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Bishkek: Space of Security,” held on the sidelines of the activities of the East Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia.

Shevtsov pointed out that "continuous attempts are being made to deploy Western military infrastructure in Central Asian countries, often under the pretext of confronting what are alleged to be 'threats' coming from Afghanistan."

He also stressed that "Russia's allies in Central Asia deserve appreciation for their refusal to be drawn into these attempts, fully aware of the strategic risks that may result from such a presence."