Two years after the inauguration of President Dmitry Medvedev, analysts say his powerful predecessor, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, still wields control over Russia’s foreign policy -- especially the Kremlin’s efforts to reassert influence in the former Soviet Union.
Uzbek President Islam Karimov expressed solidarity with Russia on April 20, setting aside disputes that have strained relations between Moscow and Tashkent to stress the two countries' shared concern about instability in Kyrgyzstan. Analysts say the ongoing instability in Kyrgyzstan has the potential to threaten Karimov's regime.
