Russia is developing a scheme to train labor migrants directly in their home countries, using it as a new tool of cultural expansion amid its catastrophic loss of influence in the region.
Russian businesses have been offered agreements with vocational schools and colleges in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan—the main suppliers of labor for the Russian economy. The idea is simple: train a specialist locally, bring them to Russia for a certain period, and then supposedly send them back home. According to Mikhail Ivanov, Deputy of the Committee on Career Guidance of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, these three countries are the primary focus for establishing such cooperation.
The reason is obvious. The Russian Ministry of Labor and Social Protection predicts a critical shortage of technical specialists by 2032—the country lacks engineers, seamstresses, and other skilled workers. The war has exhausted the economy, and there are not enough people.
But the real problem is not the workforce. Russia is rapidly losing its position precisely in the countries from which it hopes to draw labor. Central Asian states are consistently pursuing policies of distancing themselves from Moscow—a fact acknowledged in the Kremlin and openly discussed during Prime Minister Mishustin’s 2025 meeting with experts.
For this reason, Russia plans to introduce lessons in the Russian language and culture into training programs for future migrants. This is not an educational concern—it is a well-known “Russian Spring” technique, whose effectiveness as an influence tool has been repeatedly demonstrated in practice. Under the guise of training welders and turners, Russia gains access to youth in countries turning away from it, beginning to form a loyal audience even before these individuals cross the border.
Russia is attempting to implement a similar strategy in Africa.
