Russian President Vladimir Putin has praised Kyrgyzstan for granting Russian language a ‘special status’ within the country, underscoring its importance in the region. Putin’s remarks, made during a recent state visit to Kyrgyzstan, reflect the broader geopolitical significance of the Russian language in Central Asia.
Kyrgyzstan, where both Kyrgyz and Russian are official languages, continues to give Russian higher social prestige in the region. This status is particularly evident in education, media, and government, where Russian is often the preferred language for official communication and academic instruction.
Despite ongoing efforts to promote Kyrgyz as the national language, Russian remains deeply embedded in Kyrgyzstan’s cultural and institutional fabric. The recognition of Russian’s ‘special status’ by Putin is seen as a reinforcement of Moscow’s influence in the region, which has been a focal point of Russian foreign policy in Central Asia for decades.