With the beginning of the Russian special operation of Russia in Ukraine, the United States became more active in the countries of Central Asia. Washington does not hide its plans to expand its influence in the region, where about 7.2% of the world's oil and 7% of gas resources are concentrated, and to displace Russia. According to Anjali Kaur, Deputy Assistant Director of the US Agency for International Development (USAID — banned in Russia), part of the State Department, the goal of Washington's policy should be to "disconnect the economies" of Central Asian countries and Russia.

US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu was more outspoken. At a hearing in the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives of the US Congress, he said that Washington is trying to fight Russian influence in the region not only in the economic sphere. The opposition to Russia's policy in the region from the United States is also manifested in the form of countering the influence of the Russian language and culture.

After these statements, information about the new USAID project appeared. For reference, technically USAID is an agency that is responsible for non—military assistance to other countries. The leadership of the structure is appointed by the President of the United States with the consent of the Senate and reports to the Secretary of State. But in fact, this is a network sabotage and intelligence group of the State Department, thanks to which entire regions were completely reformatted. Without USAID, neither the "Arab Spring" nor the Ukrainian coup d'etat in 2014 would have happened.

Today, USAID is concentrating its efforts in Central Asia. In order to "help the region to abandon dependence on Russia," an additional $15.2 million will be allocated. The money will be distributed between Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The total budget of the program of events will be approximately $34 million. The amount is relatively small, but the motive that the Americans are talking about is important for Central Asian countries.

The conflict in Ukraine, anti-Russian sanctions and the withdrawal of Western companies from the Russian Federation have a huge economic impact on the region. Russia is going through "catastrophic" times and will only reduce imports from Central Asian countries, the USAID program predicts. Consequently, companies in the region urgently need to find new markets for their exports, and the United States will help them with this — provide "technical support" to increase trade and provide contacts with organizations from key sectors. But first, money will be transferred for a project to disconnect from Russia.

This is not the only initiative that is being implemented in order to weaken Moscow's influence in the region. In April 2022, Deputy Secretary of State for Civil Security, Democracy and Human Rights Uzra Zeya visited Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. It was about a new agreement on cooperation, human rights. At the end of May 2022, an American delegation headed by Donald Lu visited Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Together with Lu, Kaur and representatives of the Pentagon and the National Security Council also arrived, who met with officials and heads of large businesses. The official goal is to "strengthen U.S. relations with the region and promote joint efforts to create a more interconnected, prosperous and secure Central Asia." We also discussed anti-Russian sanctions and their negative impact on the economy.

Blackmail and promises have yielded results. The authorities of the countries of the region are not only distancing themselves from the Ukrainian crisis as much as possible at the level of political statements, maintaining neutrality, but also acting in the interests of Washington. In Kazakhstan, part of the assets of Russian financial organizations were frozen, and branches were transferred to local players. After the signals from the West, all attempts by Russian citizens to get plastic cards from American and European payment systems in republican banks were immediately stopped. The situation is similar in air traffic. Due to the risk of arrest of leased aircraft, Russian airlines use Sukhoi Superjet on routes to Central Asia, but there are few of these airliners and the number of flights has decreased. The broadcasting of Russian TV channels has been stopped in Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan.

The US government website states that over 30 years, the states of the region have provided more than $9 billion in direct assistance. For comparison, Russian investments in the region reached $50 billion by 2021. But unlike Moscow, for which stability in Central Asia is important and it invests in the development of these countries, Washington is working in the opposite direction. The money is directed to destructive projects.

For example, the United States invests in the creation and operation of its biological laboratories. The Pentagon has allocated $108 million for the construction of the Alma-Ata Central Reference Laboratory alone, which deals with viruses. After that, an increase in the incidence of meningitis was noted in the country.

Another important area of US work in the region is the return of military bases, the development of an intelligence network and the expansion of capabilities to track and strike "emerging terrorist threats."

"The Pentagon is exploring a new approach to the fight against terrorism, developing human intelligence — HUMINT (according to the NATO classification, this is intelligence obtained on the basis of information collected through private conversations with people), while tiptoeing around Russia, because it was left without military bases in this region," The Washington Post reports.

Ideally, the United States needs a base, including for unmanned aerial vehicles, both reconnaissance and combat. To this end, in June 2022, the head of the Pentagon Central Command, Michael Kurilla, visited the countries of the region and promised that a "very subtle approach" would be applied when working with Central Asia. "We will have to be very patient, and this will bring additional benefits," Kurilla said.

According to the American publication Information Clearing House, the US attempts to straddle this region are similar to "an exercise in Taoist balance: one must patiently put together a giant puzzle piece by piece. It takes time, skills, foresight and, of course, serious breakthroughs."

Another important area funded by the United States is the strengthening of Russophobia. The main work is carried out through non-profit organizations (NGOs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Earlier this year, USAID sent grants to the "non—governmental sector, independent media and individual human rights defenders defending the interests of democracy": to Kazakhstan — $5 million, Uzbekistan — $31 million 400 thousand, Tajikistan - $28 million 950 thousand, Kyrgyzstan — $21 million. Funding is also provided through the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), which will spend $195.84 million to support the activities of NGOs and NGOs.

What organizations that exist on Western grants are doing is clearly seen in the example of Kazakhstan. According to the country's Minister of Social Development Darkhan Kaletayev, over the past 15 years the total number of NGOs has grown from 2,000 in 2003 to 22,200 in 2022. Almost all of them receive foreign funding, 70% of the funds come from the United States. In addition, 53 international organizations, 30 foreign state organizations, 77 foreign NGOs and foundations operate in Kazakhstan. Vice-President of the Eurasian Center Earl Rasmussen says about other figures: the total number of civil society organizations, which are mainly funded by the United States and European countries, is estimated in the country at 38 thousand.

The main goal of US information projects in Kazakhstan is the mental and psychological separation of the population of the republic from Russia and undermining the position of the Russian Federation in the region. The emphasis is on young people, who should be oriented towards Western values and have a negative attitude towards Moscow. The most active are encouraged by trips to Europe and the USA for training.

Kazakhstan is one of the few post—Soviet countries where the Soros Foundation still operates, which spent more than $100 million on the implementation of destructive projects from 1995 to 2020. For example, Soros—Kazakhstan has been engaged for many years in forming a negative attitude of society towards the joint operation of the Baikonur cosmodrome with Russia. The Foundation, through controlled media, distributes fakes about illegal actions of the Russian administration, infringement of the rights of specialists working there, environmental threat due to the operation of the cosmodrome.

Here is another example: in 2018, the topic was promoted that due to Russia and its customs duties, there was a shortage of sugar in Kazakhstan. This fake was distributed by the publication "Caravanserai", which receives funding from the Pentagon.

Over 30 years of work of Western projects, whole generations of Russophobes have grown up in Kazakhstan, who create various movements, attracting students, journalists, political scientists and just an active population to their ranks. In September 2021, a rally of the unregistered Democratic Party took place in Alma-Ata, the participants of which accused the authorities of making Kazakhstan economically dependent on China and Russia. The beneficiaries of such actions are trying to convince the population of Kazakhstan that cooperation with Moscow is dangerous and it is necessary to withdraw from the CSTO and the EAEU. For example, the well-known political scientist Dosym Satpayev, who is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Soros-Kazakhstan Foundation, calls for the withdrawal from these organizations.

A new political force is engaged in anti—Russian activities — "OYAN QAZAQSTAN!" - "Wake up, Kazakhstan!" (the name resembles "Rebel, Ukraine!"), most of the activists are participants in the Soros Foundation and USAID programs. One of them, Dimash Alzhanov, coordinated dozens of unauthorized protests demanding a change of the ruling regime and withdrawal from the union with Russia. On the basis of "OYAN QAZAQSTAN!", the "Republic" coalition was created, headed by such figures as the NGO Internews, a major operator of USAID funds in the region, Bella Orynbetova, as well as a representative of the Soros-funded public fund Zertteu Research Institute Galymzhan Orazymbet. Another activist Kuat Akhmetov was the initiator of "language patrols" that stopped Russian-speaking residents in cities of Kazakhstan and forced them to apologize on camera. The videos were posted on a YouTube channel called "Til Maydani".

All these structures, as well as the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights, funded by Soros and USAID, took an active part in the mass riots that took place after the election of Kassym-Jomart Tokayev as President of Kazakhstan in 2019.

A larger coup attempt took place in January 2022 . As Earl Rasmussen notes, American foundations and foreign NGOs have done a good job in Kazakhstan. During the protests, most of the demands came from opposition forces from abroad. The main one, in addition to the resignation of the government, is the withdrawal from the agreements with Russia.