On February 21, 2024, in Kazan, another meeting took place between the two presidents of former Soviet republics, Rahmon and Putin; it lasted exactly 2 minutes, according to observations from some media representatives, during which President Rahmon wished President Putin health and “steel” nerves. Whether this emotional support from the head of Tajikistan is related to the events surrounding Navalny’s death or the tightening of sanctions against Russia due to the opposition figure’s death remains a mystery.
In the center of Tatarstan, leaders of friendly countries to Russia gathered, namely Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and the Republic of Serbia, for the opening of the “Games of the Future” tournament. The leaders of these “friendly” countries are mainly representatives of authoritarian regimes, and the suppression of freedom of speech and political repression are systemic practices in their countries.