Eurasianet

While the country's authoritarian rulers are utterly indifferent to political freedoms, how the investment regime is perceived is another matter. Our weekly Turkmenistan briefing.

Israel is imminently poised to open a permanent mission in Ashgabat, 20 kilometers from the Iranian border. Our weekly Turkmenistan briefing.

Beijing is leaning toward buying additional Central Asian gas, despite reliability concerns.

The teetering edifice of megalomania built around the Berdymukhamedov family should make it obvious how Turkmenistan is governed. Our weekly briefing.

Turkmenistan is looking to Gazprom to deliver new customers, at the risk of further eroding its independence. Our weekly briefing.

Tightening internet controls as families desperately try to reach loved ones in Turkey, bogus economic performance figures, and Berdymukhamedov the elder visits the Gulf. Our weekly Turkmenistan briefing.

The son tries to escape his father’s shadow, costly breakdowns in gas exports, and Russia has been playing Turkmenistan for a fool. Our weekly briefing.

Moscow curries favor, neighbors seek more gas, and Turkmenistan’s colossal methane pollution could power Afghanistan at little cost many times over. Our weekly Turkmenistan briefing.

The president’s authority now looks desperately weakened, which means that if anything should happen to his 65-year-old father, a crisis of legitimacy could ensue. Our weekly briefing.

It is so cold that Turkmenistan has suspended gas exports to Uzbekistan, Iran and even its most important customer, China. Our weekly briefing.

As the government rewrites history to avoid mentioning a Russian atrocity, Turkmen are taking their reminiscences online.

Temperatures in Kazakhstan are slipping to below -30 degrees Celsius.

In a visit full of symbolism, Turkmenistan’s president won a lucrative promise from Xi Jinping. Our weekly briefing.

The former president ended 2022 in the spotlight: He got a new city named in his honor, his poem set to music by his grandson on state television, and compliments from Russia. Our weekly Turkmenistan briefing.

A vaunted meeting to discuss shipping Turkmen gas to Turkey and Europe ended without a breakthrough. But Uzbekistan is buying. This and more in our weekly Turkmenistan briefing.

Turkmenistan reveals its closest partners as it prepares to host a gas-focused summit with Azerbaijan and Turkey. Plus, with the New Year approaching, it is time for bread and circus. Our weekly briefing.

Russia is proposing a major reconfiguration of the Central Asian gas market. Our weekly Turkmenistan briefing.

The train arrived with 40 carriages loaded with household appliances.

The ruling tandem is evidently frustrated it cannot will a functioning economy into existence by diktat.

Turkmenistan is risking a reputation as a sanctions-buster. Our weekly briefing.

The president’s father (the former president) is stealing the show. Plus, the latest on efforts to get Turkmen gas to Europe. Our weekly briefing.

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A journey down the terminal stretch of a once-mighty river highlights how hard it will be to fend off environmental catastrophe.

Turkmenistan’s new leader receives an American official while his father visits Putin. And Ashgabat doubles the number of blocked websites. Our weekly briefing.

Turkmenistan is finding new customers for its gas, while continuing to perform bizarre stunts for Guinness World Records. This and more in our weekly briefing.