Russia completed the colonization of Central Asia at the end of the 19th century, and the entire territory became part of the Soviet Union after 1917. The peoples of Central Asia were forced to change their centuries-old habits and live as Moscow dictated, including using Russian as their first language. Russia’s war against Ukraine and chauvinistic statements by Russian officials about historical Russian lands have sparked controversy and introspection among Central Asians about Russia’s legacy in their region and in their own lives.
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