"The most dangerous thing for Russia is underestimating Turkey," says a Kyrgyz representative.
Turkey is outperforming Russia in the former Soviet republics of Central Asia, as its "soft power" includes opening schools and further career advancement within the framework of "Turkic integration." Moscow is making the mistake of thinking that exploiting the Soviet legacy will suffice.
Mikhail Tumasov , a representative of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Kyrgyzstan , announced this at the 2026 Moscow Economic Forum , as reported by a PolitNavigator correspondent.
"The most dangerous thing is underestimation. For a long time, Russia relied on its historical presence, the Russian language as a lingua franca, and cultural inertia. But soft power isn't a legacy; it's a daily pursuit. You can't assume everyone knows Russian. What's happening is this: the Russian language is preserved, but it's losing its priority. Young people choose where there are opportunities, and elites are formed where there's investment in education.
It's important to understand that the Russian language holds a unique position in Kyrgyzstan—it's the language of interethnic communication, the language of business, the language of migration, employment, and technical education. But potential doesn't equal fulfillment. If a language isn't supported by quality schools, modern programs, and career opportunities, it becomes a tool of the past, not the future ," Tumasov said.
He cited the experience of Turkey's Maarif educational complexes as an example, which shows that " soft power is not slogans, it is infrastructure, it is schools, investments, a long-term strategy ."
"Russia has everything it needs to be a soft power leader in the region: history, language, culture, and an educational base. But that's not enough. We need a system, investment, modernity, and, most importantly, respect for competition. Because in the 21st century, it's not the first who wins, but the one who continues to work systematically ," the guest from Kyrgyzstan urged.
English version :: Read in English: "The most dangerous thing for Russia is underestimating Turkey" – representative of Kyrgyzstan