In recent years, Central Asia has seen a wave of new laws and regulations related to extremism. While the idea of protecting national security sounds reasonable, the concept is often vague and flexible. Almost anything can be considered a threat — if someone in authority decides it is.

David Durance from TeachBeyond explains:

“And although some of this is under the guise of trying to be secular, it really does, in practice, go against our Christian brothers and sisters in their ability to practice simple things like gathering, things that we’re interested in, which would be Christian education, freedom of speech,” he says.

Photo courtesy of 光曦 刘 via Unsplash.

He compares the atmosphere to a landscape that changes overnight: “You walk out your door and you know what your front yard looks like, and then you walk out the door the next morning and the front yard looks different.”

That change in “landscape” can take many forms, such as the sudden revocation of a building license or the introduction of new, restrictive regulations on educational activities. One day, someone might securely own and operate a school; the next, that ownership is nullified in a moment by the decision of a single official. The pressure is real, and uncertainty weighs heavily. Yet in the face of these shifting circumstances, believers are stirred to think creatively and adapt with wisdom and resilience.

“How we can pivot to thinking about a learning center rather than a school, and pivot towards thinking about how we can live within these constraints of the law and still have the Gospel presented in a really meaningful way through the relationships that God continues to build here,” Durance says.

He says that even in the crisis of losing a building, the relationships formed over years — or even decades — become the foundation for moving forward. He adds that TeachBeyond finds opportunities to serve: “And as is often the case, the local municipal work that we get to do, especially in schools, ends up providing a bit of an umbrella for us to continue the work in a way that we would not otherwise be able to do.”

Pray that local believers are inspired to find new pathways forward so the work continues despite restrictions!

“Amazingly enough, we often see growth in that — as we see persecution happen, as we see the landscape shift, God often uses that to really further the Gospel,” Durance says.

Tashkent’s Amir Timur Square: header image courtesy of Dasha Novikova via Unsplash.

Slavic Gospel Association (SGA) supports Christian ministry in Central Asia. SGA’s Eric Mock explains, “In the sense of combating extremism, they push all faiths down. What this has meant is a tremendous amount of pressure on all faiths, [including] on Christianity.”

Christian family in Central Asia. (Photo courtesy of SGA)

While each country and community in Central Asia is unique, SGA receives reports from ministry partners about the increasing pressure they are experiencing for their faith.

“What they are writing to us about now is that it is becoming a little more complicated for them,” says Mock.

“In fact, some of the pastors are even arrested or brought down to police stations to explain what they’re doing. Some churches have had law enforcement break into the churches and interview each of the people, directing them never to come back and gather again.”

The difficulties are not limited to government censorship and law enforcement. Christians and ministries in this Muslim-dominant region deal with challenges on multiple fronts.

Mock says, “When they hold a Christmas celebration such as an SGA Immanuel’s Child-supported Christmas program or summer camps or orphans ministry, they not only face increasing difficulties from the government, but they also face persecution from the predominantly Muslim society. Even children who are coming to faith in Muslim homes are kicked out of the Muslim homes if they hold to their faith.”

As you consider this report, please pray for our Christian brothers and sisters in Central Asia living out the Gospel. “None of them ask us to pray for an end of the persecution. They only pray that they would be abundant lights,” says Mock.

“We look upon changes in government and the persecution that comes from these Islamic groups as a detriment, but the believers see it as evidence that they’re displaying Christ in their community.”

Learn more about SGA’s ministry work here.

Header photo: Samarkand, Uzbekistan (Photo courtesy of AXP Photography/Unsplash)

“Under our mandate in the International Religious Freedom Act, or IRFA, we issue a report each year with recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and Congress,” USCIRF Chair Gayle Manchin says.

There were few surprises in this year’s report. China came up so often we’re spotlighting it in a future newscast. Nigeria rose as another major threat. Even though the USCIRF recommended Nigeria each year since 2009, the U.S. State Department did not designate Nigeria as a County of Particular Concern (CPC) until last year.

Indiscriminate attacks by the Islamist militant group Boko Haram in Northern Nigeria are causing immense suffering. A violent campaign is being waged against innocent civilians who are being killed, chased, enrolled or enslaved.
(Photo, caption ©EC/ECHO/Anouk Delafortrie via Flickr)

“If Uganda is the pearl of Africa, Nigeria is a diamond in the rough,” USCIRF Commissioner Jim Carr says.

“Nigeria is competing very quickly to be the worst of the worst. They’re in competition with China and Iran and North Korea.”

The report also highlighted 2020 trends leading to religious persecution.

“The most prominent global story of 2020 was a COVID pandemic. Governments took sweeping action to protect individuals and communities, including imposing restrictions that impacted the practice of one’s religion and faith,” USCIRF Vice Chair Anurima Bhargava says.

Manchin states in a press release, “USCIRF will continue to monitor how countries respond to and recover from COVID-19, and whether the loosening of restrictions is fair to people of all faiths and nonbelievers.”

Christians face persecution in most of the 26 countries highlighted by the USCIRF. Find details, recent headlines, and prayer needs from each country below.

World’s worst religious freedom violators

In its annual report, the USCIRF divided its recommendations for 26 nations into two categories: “countries of particular concern” and “special watch list.” While these correspond with State Department designations, we’re grouping the countries by alphabetical order:

• Afghanistan – Persecuted Christians | Latest Updates | Prayer Needs
• Algeria – Persecuted Christians | Latest Updates | Prayer Needs
• Azerbaijan – Persecuted Christians | Latest Updates | Prayer Needs
• Burma (also called Myanmar) – Persecuted Christians | Latest Updates | Prayer Needs
• China – Persecuted Christians | Latest Updates | Prayer Needs
• Cuba – Persecuted Christians | Latest Updates | Prayer Needs
• Egypt – Persecuted Christians | Latest Updates | Prayer Needs
• Eritrea – Persecuted Christians | Latest Updates | Prayer Needs
• India – Persecuted Christians | Latest Updates | Prayer Needs
• Indonesia – Persecuted Christians | Latest Updates | Prayer Needs
• Iran – Persecuted Christians | Latest Updates | Prayer Needs
• Iraq – Persecuted Christians | Latest Updates | Prayer Needs
• Kazakhstan – Persecuted Christians | Latest Updates | Prayer Needs
• Malaysia – Persecuted Christians | Latest Updates | Prayer Needs
• Nicaragua – Persecuted Christians | Prayer Needs
• Nigeria – Persecuted Christians | Latest Updates | Prayer Needs
• North Korea – Persecuted Christians | Latest Updates | Prayer Needs
• Pakistan – Persecuted Christians | Latest Updates | Prayer Needs
• Russia – Persecuted Christians | Latest Updates | Prayer Needs
• Saudi Arabia – Persecuted Christians | Latest Updates | Prayer Needs
• Syria – Persecuted Christians | Latest Updates | Prayer Needs
• Tajikistan – Persecuted Christians | Latest Updates | Prayer Needs
• Turkey – Persecuted Christians | Latest Updates | Prayer Needs
• Turkmenistan – Persecuted Christians | Latest Updates | Prayer Needs
• Uzbekistan – Persecuted Christians | Latest Updates | Prayer Needs
• Vietnam – Persecuted Christians | Latest Updates | Prayer Needs

“Religious Liberty” was commissioned by B’nai B’rith and dedicated in 1876 to “the people of the United States” as an expression of support for the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom.  (Wikimedia Commons)

This law doesn’t just affect Christians. Mock says, “Part of what they’re concerned about is also radical Islam. If they continue to suppress radical or more conservative aspects of Islam, they would be seen as creating a new problem if they weren’t equally as restrictive of Christians. So, there’s an overall push by a secular government to suppress religious expression or religious expressions of faith in any form.”

Uzbekistan highlighted. (Nikki070 / CC BY-SA https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)

Christians in Uzbekistan

Unfortunately for Christians, they also often face persecution from their Muslim neighbors. Islam is the majority religion in Uzbekistan, though Mock says many wear Islam as more of a cultural identity than a religious practice. The government would like to keep it that way, fearing radical forms of religion that might incite violence.

Pray the Church in Uzbekistan would bring the hope of Jesus Christ into their community. Mock says, “During this Christ Over COVID effort, where we’re serving churches and they are bringing both groceries and the Gospel, we are seeing a great witness before secular leaders who are responding with thanksgiving over the church reaching the needs of the people.”

Pray that many in Uzbekistan would see the Church caring for their neighbors and be drawn to the risen Christ. To help with SGA’s Christ over COVID campaign, click here.

The header image shows a mosque in Uzbekistan. (Image by LoggaWiggler from Pixabay)

More Requirements

“As I understand this, these new restrictions target a couple of areas that are closely related. So, it might be hard to tell the difference between the two. Basically one of them is requiring any religious community there that is seeking religious status to provide a notarized copy of the country’s official recognition of religious education that’s been completed by the head of whatever the religious community is,” Slavic Gospel Association’s Joel Griffith explains.

And that’s only one of the new requirements.

(Photo courtesy of SGA via Facebook)

“Whoever the head of the religious educational institution is—they also have to provide some notarized copy of the state’s official recognition of the religious education that the head of the institution completed,” Griffith shares.

Currently, little information is available as to what type of education is considered acceptable under the requirement. Griffith says there appears to be no official agency which currently recognizes foreign religious education in Uzbekistan. Forum 18 notes that fulfilling these new restrictions is presently impossible.

Persevering in Faith

Yet, Griffith says these kinds of restrictions are nothing new for churches in Central Asia.

“During the Soviet communist years…oppression was really severe. The churches are going to, of course, carry on their ministries as Christ commands them to do, regardless of what difficulties man puts in front of them. They may have to get more creative about the way that they do it,” Griffith says.

Churches across Central Asia have faced raids where Bibles and other religious materials have been confiscated. Summer camps in the region have also been raided and in some situations shut down. Griffith says this is hard on the churches SGA serves, but unless God intervenes, it’s unlikely the situation will change.

Be Prayerful, Be Active

Pray for believers in Uzbekistan as they try to obey these new laws while sharing the Gospel. Ask God to give them perseverance, encouragement, and strength to continue His work. Pray God would continue to use SGA to resource and train the church in the former Soviet Union.

“We need to be mindful just about how blessed we are here in Western nations to be able to worship freely, proclaim the Gospel freely, [and] evangelize freely,” Griffith shares.

Find ways to come alongside the Church in Central Asia here!

(Islam Karimov/Photo courtesy Wikipedia)

Uzbekistan (MNN) – A power vacuum along with uncertainty looms for Uzbekistan in the wake of the death of its president, Islam Karimov.  His death from cerebral hemorrhage came very near the 25th anniversary of Uzbekistan’s independence from the Soviet Union.

For 27 years, Karimov governed like a dictator over his regime.  Now that he’s been inhumed, the country is waiting to see what’s next.   His style’s been compared to that of North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un.

Of the five post-Soviet regimes in Central Asia, Uzbekistan’s is widely regarded as the most obstreperous. Will Karimov’s successor continue down that path?  Who has been tapped to lead?  What is ‘Plan B’?  Right now, it’s assumed that Uzbek Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev will assume the office of the President.   Here’s what’s disconcerting:  he’s already reached out to Russian President Vladimir Putin and let him know he’s interesting in more strategic relations with Moscow.

Uzbekistan borders Afghanistan as well all other Central Asian countries. Any instability there can easily spread to the core of the region, connecting eastern Uzbekistan, southern Kyrgyzstan and northern Tajikistan.

(Uzbekistan map courtesy Wikipedia)

Uzbekistan also has one of the harshest responses to anything seen as opposition or deviation from the norm.  Christianity is regarded as an alien and destabilizing factor.  Christian converts from a Muslim background (Muslim Background Believers, MBBs) experience additional pressure from their social and cultural environment.  Todd Nettleton, a spokesman with the Voice of the Martyrs USA explains, “They face persecution from their Muslim family members, from radical Muslims within the society, and from the ‘monument’.  The leaders of Uzbekistan, as well as some of the other Central Asian former Soviet Republics, were men who grew up under the Communists, and so they grew up with the philosophy that religion was something to be not trusted and to be controlled.”

In fact, “They (the government) very much would see Christians and radical Muslims as being two parts of the same problem.” Under Karimov, Uzbekistan enacted a “Prevention Law” aimed at prohibiting the practice of religion without state permission.   “The government position, it wasn’t so much ‘anti-Christian’ as it was just control. The government also worried about radical Islam, so any religion was something to be brought under government control. Part of that was suppressing and persecuting the Church.”  This law empowers the enforcement of religion laws. It also requires them to report those they suspect might be guilty of religious crimes, such as “teaching” religion or storing religious materials without permission.

From their perspective, they’re responding accordingly to a destabilizing threat.  In the beginning were the changes in registration. “If you had a church, you were supposed to register.  That registration process, firstly, was very onerous. Secondly, it put all the names of you members in the hands of the government.” Even if you did register, it didn’t guarantee that your church’s application to be legal would be accepted.  Then, the ban on extremist literature distribution came into play.  According to Forum 18, over the summer, Uzbekistan has been raiding homes and confiscating ‘contraband’.   An Open Doors report from May shared Majid’s (not his real name) arrest for distributing extremist literature: the evidence? A Bible and some Christian literature.   His story was not unique.  Nettleton warns, “It’s more than just discrimination or a little bit of pressure. It is persecution against the Church.”

Christians represent a mere 0.75 percent of the majority Muslim population. Following global trends, Uzbekistan’s Muslims are also being radicalized. Unfortunately, as radicalization advances, so does the intolerance of Christianity.  Nettleton says the impact is what you’d expect. “As far as the Gospel work that is going on there, there have been some challenges over the last couple of years. Foreign NGOs have been kicked out. Foreigner visas have not been renewed, so there have been a significant number of Christians who have been forced to leave the country.”  However, that has left the Gospel work in the hands of Uzbek Christians. “Obviously, they are uniquely qualified. They know the culture. They know the language. That gospel work is going forward, but it has looked a little bit different in the last couple of years.”

In a time of transition and uncertainty, a lot of things can go right, or they can go really, really wrong.   The Voice of the Martyrs encourages you to “Pray for believers in Uzbekistan who are living victoriously and courageously for Christ despite persecution. Ask God to protect and encourage them.”  Please pray with us for Christians in Uzbekistan, since it is uncertain what is awaiting the church there after the arrival of a new leader.   For the nation as a whole, pray, as they grieve the death of their leader and face an uncertain time ahead. Remember the Uzbek church today.

(Photo courtesy Mission Eurasia)

Uzbekistan (RMI/MNN) — Even though his father kicked him out of the house, *Botir–a Muslim-background believer–remained steadfast in his decision to follow Christ.

“My father is a Muslim and a very well-respected person in our community,” Botir recently shared with Mission Eurasia leaders.

“When he found a Bible in my room and asked if I was a Christian, I had to choose between my family and Christ.”

Botir attended Mission Eurasia’s School Without Walls (SWW) program in Uzbekistan. SWW teaches young Christian leaders how to effectively reach others in their community for Christ and then equips them with the tools they need.

“In that moment, the lessons that I learned about fiery trials at ‪SWW strengthened me,” Botir shares.

“My father cursed me, and he beat me severely because I had renounced Islam.”

Uzbekistan is ranked as #15 on the Open Doors World Watch List–a ranking of nations where Christ-followers face the most persecution.

Persecution is classified as “severe” in Uzbekistan, with Islamic extremism being one of the main sources of oppression. According to Open Doors, believers are under constant scrutiny, and MBBs regularly face problems from their family, friends, and community.

“Thanks be to God that, during this difficult time, my brothers in Christ opened their homes to me,” he shares. “I felt like Jesus was with me. It was hard to forgive my father, but SWW helped me to see that I needed to do it, so I started to pray for my family.”

Will you stand with Botir in prayer? Pray that Botir’s firm stand for Christ will cause his family to seriously consider the Gospel message. Pray that the Lord will strengthen Botir as he grows in his faith.

According to Operation World, Uzbek believers face opposition from 3 sources: the government, their community, and local Muslim leaders.
(Photo courtesy of Stefan Krasowski/Flickr.)

“I can see that my character has improved since I started studying at SWW,” says Botir.

“The main difference I can see is that I am now thankful to God for everything that has happened in my life. The Lord has also opened up a career path for me in youth ministry. ”

In fact, Botir is now actively serving in several children’s ministries in Uzbekistan, despite how dangerous this can be, and he has already helped to lead three children to Christ!

Visit Mission Eurasia’s Web site for more information about how you can help train and equip even more young Christian leaders like Botir for effective ministry through School Without Walls.

*Name changed for security

(Photo courtesy SGA)

It’s hard enough to become a Christian in Muslim-majority Central Asia. Add in an increasing amount of economic challenges, along with security risks posed by Islamic extremism, and it’s no wonder the region has climbed on the Open Doors World Watch List.

“[Accepting Christ as Savior] is quite a profound decision,” explains Eric Mock of Slavic Gospel Association (SGA).

“It is not selecting which church they will attend. It is making a statement that, ‘I’m no longer this person but I am a follower of Jesus Christ, and I know this puts my life at risk.'”

Central Asia 101

Central Asia’s “game of thrones” is a complex situation with many moving parts. By breaking the scenario into its most basic elements, a simpler picture emerges.

(Wikimedia Commons)

Russia and China are competing for Central Asia’s “allegiance” because (1) it provides a geographical “buffer” protecting each nation from volatile hotbeds of Islamic extremism, and (2) there’s a marketplace to fill with goods and services.

Steeped in poverty, the governments of most Central Asian nations are looking to either of the world powers for economic help.

“Putin and [Russia’s] economy, and their influence over Central Asia, is beginning to wane a little bit, which leads those countries to have an eye towards China,” observes Mock.

Historically, the former Soviet governments of Central Asia turned to Russia for economic stability. With the recent fall of Russia’s economy — and self-motivated blockades against countries that won’t join its Eurasian Economic Union, China is looking better by the day.

In theory, economic freedom would lead to growth in other areas of Central Asian life.

(Screenshot)

“There’s a growing sense of independence in each of these countries,” Mock says. “They’re moving more and more towards their mother tongues, and they’re trying to develop their own ethnic identities.”

As noted here, Russia and China seem to have come to an agreement over Central Asia. Russia will provide security for the nations of Central Asia, while China will help stimulate the region’s economy.

Bringing Christ to Central Asia

It may seem unrelated, but elements of this “bigger picture” are tying into how believers fulfill the Great Commission in Central Asia.

Despite the pressures of living amid opposition, Central Asian believers reflect the love and joy of the Lord.
(Photo, caption courtesy SGA)

“It has been tough ground for the believers there. Christians increasingly are finding it much more difficult to advance the Gospel,” shares Mock.

“Part of that is ethnic. The word “stan” on the end of these countries–such as Tajikistan and Kazakhstan–denote it being a Muslim republic. So, there’s a relationship between being part of that culture…and being Muslim.”

When people hear or read the Truth of the Gospel, and the Holy Spirit leads them to commit their lives to Christ, the decision carries serious consequences.

“People are making a nationalistic decision and a communal decision, along with making their spiritual choices,” Mock explains. “To turn to their new Christian faith means a loss of family and a threat to their lives.”

It’s into this context that SGA is coming alongside believers to further God’s Kingdom.

“It’s not about an American showing up with an American strategy,” Mock says. “It is about us looking to see what God is doing in these countries of Central Asia among the faithful Bible-believing churches, and [serving] them as God leads them.”

Central Asia has a rich cultural heritage, yet Islam is dominant–making evangelical outreach difficult and even dangerous.
(Photo, caption courtesy SGA)

Before the Soviet Union collapsed, foreign missionaries weren’t allowed into the countries of what is now Central Asia. So, SGA broadcast evangelistic messages into the region via radio, and smuggled Bibles and Christian books to secret believers.

Learn more about SGA’s Soviet-era ministry here.

Today, SGA is able to work directly with partnering churches and individual believers.

“We spend a lot of time giving them the training they’ve been asking for, the resources they’ve been asking for, [so] the Church would be salt and light in their community.”

Support SGA’s work in Central Asia here.

Ranked #15 on Open Doors’ World Watch List, oppression is rife in this former Soviet nation. Living out the Great Commission is illegal, and police torture Christians without fear of punishment.

Yet, according to Mission Eurasia, the number of evangelical Christians in Uzbekistan is growing.

Uzbek oppression

(Photo courtesy Mission Eurasia)

Uzbekistan experiences both economic and social oppression.

Over-farming is destroying the country’s traditional economic base. Last month, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) reduced Uzbekistan’s economic growth forecast from 7.8% to 7%.

Violence by Islamic militants is on the rise, and human rights are declining. Uzbekistan has come under international scrutiny for its use of child labor in cotton harvesting, and the nation remains a center of human trafficking into Russia, Kazakhstan, the Middle East, and Asia.

President Islam Karimov–who forbids any sort of political opposition and ensures that the state remains in control of media outlets–has been accused of using systematized torture to maintain his control. His actions have even caused political and human rights activists to flee the nation.

Because of the oppression outlined above, believers have to meet in secret. Mission Eurasia’s School Without Walls (SWW) program trains leaders for this underground church. Last summer, nearly 300 leaders were taught how to reach Uzbekistan for Christ.

Click here and select “School Without Walls” from the drop-down menu to help Mission Eurasia train more leaders in Uzbekistan.

Gospel growth

Using the training they receive from SWW, Uzbek believers teach their fellow Christ-followers how to share the Gospel in creative ways.

Summer Bible camps allow needy children and orphans to enjoy a week of fun-filled activities. Most importantly, kids learn about God’s love for them.

(Photo courtesy Mission Eurasia)

The camps also offer opportunities for SWW students and other Next Generation Christian leaders to reach out to the needy and vulnerable.

During the Christmas season, Mission Eurasia partners with national believers and churches to pack and distribute special gift boxes to needy children and youth. Each gift box contains a toy, candy, and a children’s Bible or other form of children’s Christian literature in the Russian language.

Young Next Generation Christian leaders trained by Mission Eurasia bring these gifts to children in orphanages, boarding schools, hospitals, and other places of need. Most importantly, they tell the children about the greatest gift of all: Jesus.

At Mission Eurasia’s Web site, you can support these outreach programs and more.

However, although the door for mission work is almost fully shut in Uzbekistan, millions of Uzbeks make their way to Russia to find work and send money back to their families. In Russia there is freedom to share the Gospel and distribute Bibles.

Operation Mobilization‘s church-planting ministry in Russia reaches out to Uzbeks in the city of Novosibirsk, and over the last four years they’ve seen dozens of migrant workers come to faith in Jesus.

One such man is *Alek. After coming to faith, Alek was discipled through OM Russia’s discipleship program.

Instead of helping in the church plant as expected, Alek and his family returned to Uzbekistan to renew their passports, and they were not allowed to return to Russia.

Alek lives in a small town, and through his and his wife’s witness, around 10 people have come to faith.

Recently *Tamara, who lives in Novosibirsk and is part of the church plant, visited Alek and the other believers to see how they were doing and to encourage them.

(Photo courtesy Operation Mobilization)

Unfortunately, Tamara did not find the group in a strong spiritual state. Lack of fellowship and encouragement had caused their faith to grow cold, and they were no longer meeting together as believers.

With the country’s bad economy and high unemployment, they didn’t have enough money to travel to meet with other believers in a nearby city. However, as soon as Tamara arrived, they were overjoyed, admitted their weakness, wept, and repented. They met every day and night until 3:00 in the morning for a week to receive encouragement and teaching from the Bible from Tamara.

One of the women, *Motier, left her newborn baby for the morning to fetch her grandmother from a neighboring village. The grandmother had heard about Tamara and wanted to find out more. The grandmother, 83, was sick and couldn’t walk, but that morning she felt better and was able to make the journey.

At the meeting, the grandmother told Tamara everything she knew about God, from a Muslim perspective. Tamara listened politely.

Concluding, the grandmother said, “I have told you everything I know; now it’s your turn to talk to me about God.”

Tamara replied, “You know much about God, but there is one thing that you do not know and that I would like to share with you.”

With that Tamara, starting with the account of Adam and Eve, shared the Gospel story. As the day wore on, some of the other women in the room got distracted and talked about other things, but the grandmother commanded them to listen to Tamara.

She told Tamara, “My head does not hurt when you talk about God and this man, Jesus. But when we talk on other topics, I feel discomfort.”

When Tamara got to the end of the story, the grandmother exclaimed, “How can I not accept such a Savior? I will repent and receive Him!”

She reached into her pocket for money to pay Tamara for her visit, as is the Muslim custom. The grandmother’s grandson, who had come to faith earlier, laughed and explained that Tamara was not here to receive, but to give.

Praise God for changing hearts in Uzbekistan. Pray that more in this country would come to know Him. Pray for OM Russia and the church-planting team as they minister to Uzbeks in Russia.