Daily Memo: Russia’s Missile Test, Concerns Over Central Asia

Conspicuous missile test. Russia’s newest naval corvette for the first time test-launched a cruise missile at a naval target in the Peter the Great Bay. Russia presented the test as routine, though it’s noteworthy that the Russian navy on Tuesday intercepted the USS John S. McCain in the same bay. Russia frets over Central Asia. The commander of Russia’s Central Military District traveled to Dushanbe on Wednesday, where he met with Tajik Defense Minister Sherali Mirzo to discuss the security of Central Asia. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Tuesday that Moscow is worried about the security situation in Afghanistan, which borders Tajikistan, and believes Islamic State fighters are gathering strength for an attempted expansion into Central Asia. Iran-Russia talks. Meanwhile, Lavrov also on Tuesday spoke with his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif. The two foreign ministers expressed their commitment to bringing all participants back into compliance with the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and discussed bilateral trade, the Syrian civil war and tensions in Nagorno-Karabakh. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also discussed Nagorno-Karabakh, specifically the implementation of the cease-fire agreement they’re jointly monitoring, on Tuesday. Suspected Israeli airstrikes. The Syrian government accused Israel of carrying […]