When Russia started drafting men to fight in Ukraine last fall, thousands fled to neighboring countries in Central Asia. The draft has been paused and some are returning home. But less so for members of the LGBTQ community, who say the government’s increasing hostility has made Russia unsafe.
Central Asia has long been the focus of tense geopolitical battles between world powers. The latest one started more than a decade ago, when the United States turned the region into a primary staging ground for its war in Afghanistan. A three-way struggle has since emerged between the U.S., China and Russia.