Escaping Russia’s web: Central Asia is caught between Chinese networks and US tech curbs

Days after three Russian data centres were hit by Ukrainian drone attacks last month – paralysing taxi, delivery and payment apps across Central Asia – Tajikistan launched an internet link between its capital Dushanbe and Beijing.

The optical fibre, which runs through the Pamir Mountains, offers a direct link to Hong Kong – one of the largest internet traffic exchange points in the Asia-Pacific – and marks Tajikistan’s fifth international communication access point.

To the west, Kazakhstan and...