August 27, 2026
photo: Reuters
Central Asian states are increasingly buying Chinese fighter jets, drones, armored vehicles, and air defense systems, reducing their dependence on the Russian military-industrial complex.
This is stated in the material of The Caspian Post.
Russia is gradually losing its monopoly on arms supplies to Central Asian countries, which it has maintained since Soviet times. Against the backdrop of the war against Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan are increasingly diversifying their arsenals, and China is becoming Moscow’s main competitor. This is reported by The Caspian Post.
Beijing is already supplying the region with combat drones, fighter jets, transport aircraft, armored vehicles, and air defense systems, as well as financing border infrastructure.
Uzbekistan uses Chinese FD-2000 air defense systems and has previously purchased attack drones. In July-August 2026, there were reports that Tashkent may receive four J-10CE fighters and a potential deal for 20 more aircraft. However, there is no official confirmation of this data.
Kazakhstan, despite its membership in the CSTO and close military ties with Russia, uses Chinese Wing Loong drones and Y-8F-200 military transport aircraft.
Turkmenistan has long been purchasing Chinese air defense systems, including the HQ-9 and HQ-12, as well as drones.
Tajikistan receives Chinese armored vehicles, mortar systems, and small arms. China is also involved in developing security infrastructure along the Tajik-Afghan border.
The Chinese presence is important not only because of the number of weapons sold. The purchase of air defense or fighter jets creates long-term ties with the supplier: the country needs missiles, spare parts, software, modernization and training of personnel.
This process is taking place against the backdrop of a sharp decline in Russian arms exports. According to SIPRI, in 2021-2025 they decreased by 64% compared to 2016-2020, and Russia’s share of global arms exports fell from 21% to 6.8%.
At the same time, Moscow has not yet lost its influence: a significant part of the arsenals of the countries of the region remain Soviet or Russian, and Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan are members of the CSTO.
However, the main change is already evident: Central Asia no longer wants to depend on a single arms supplier. Russia is losing not so much the entire market as its former monopoly, and China is increasingly entering the military sphere of the region.
- On August 25, The Wall Street Journal reported that Russia has begun using new jet-powered modifications of its Shahed attack drones, which can reach speeds of up to 500 km/h. This is about three times faster than previous versions of the drones.
https://espreso.tv/svit-kitay-vitisnyae-rosiyu-z-rinku-zbroi-krain-kolishnogo-srsr-the-caspian-post
“Russia is gradually losing its monopoly on arms supplies to Central Asian countries…”
Not only there. Mafia land is losing ground in the arms market across the globe. Only idiot countries or those too dirt poor to buy better stuff buys mafia junk. The shitty war has destroyed the ruskie image all over this globe. Something similar is happening to us with Taco’s stupid war with Iran.
Chinese are everywhere. I just ordered a pair of Sennheiser headphones. Good German quality…manufactured in China!
It disgusts me how we are losing our entire manufacturing base to the damned chinks.
Greed is the answer. I’m betting the US wished they’d never opened the door to the Chinks in the 70s.
Yes, greed. But not only here in the US. You in Europe also have plenty of greed and so are also getting swamped by chink garbage.
Yes. I mainly talking about who opened the door for them. Walmart and others made a lot of money out of Chinese crap. Now it’s too late to close the door.
Yes, you’re right. Walmart is the main culprit, but so is Jimmy Carter. Both made possible bat virus land’s enormous economic growth.