Water shortages in Central Asia are becoming a problem for Russia as the drought and its effects spread into Russian territories, and Central Asians call for Moscow to send water from Siberian rivers or face massive immigration.
Russians overwhelmingly oppose the revival of Siberian river diversion because of their own water needs and because Central Asia cannot pay as much as the People’s Republic of China could for water.
Tensions between Moscow and Central Asia are growing over water disputes, as is the prospect of large and uncontrolled Central Asian migration into Russia.
Water shortages in Central Asia are becoming a problem for Russia as the crisis, generated by climate change-induced drought and rapid, albeit slowing, population growth in Central Asia, spreads into Russian territory (see EDM, November 8, 2023; Federal City, June 19; The Times of Central Asia, June 26; Bugin Info, June 30).
Central Asian countries believe that the only solution is for Moscow to divert water from Siberian rivers and have threatened Moscow with the prospect of massive migration of Central Asians into Russia if the Kremlin does not agree. Despite technical changes on Soviet-era river diversion; Russia’s need to cultivate regional goodwill following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022; and the belief of some Russian scholars that river diversion would disproportionately benefit Russia,
most Russian officials are staunchly opposed to any Siberian river diversion. This aversion stems from concern about domestic Russian droughts brought into focus by increasing forest fires and falling water levels in Russian rivers (see EDM, June 3).
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