President Vladimir Putin begins new diplomatic actions of Russia, awarding the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov with the Order “For Merit to the Fatherland” of the IV degree, reports Interfax.

In an official decree published on Friday on the legal portal of the Russian government, it is said that Berdymukhamedov was awarded the order “for a great contribution to strengthening the strategic partnership between the Russian Federation and Turkmenistan.”

The move comes as more of Russia’s traditional allies, including former Soviet republics in Central Asia, appear to be distancing themselves from Moscow following the launch of a “special military operation” on February 24.

Kazakhstan, where Russia sent “peacekeepers” in January after unprecedented protests erupted in the country on its southern border, already appears to be taking a different course from the Kremlin’s, announcing it will abide by Western sanctions against Moscow and negotiating with the European Union to increase energy export to the block.

In addition, in mid-August, Kazakhstan canceled the compulsory study of the Russian language in schools, starting from the first grade, a move analysts saw as another slap in the face to Russia, its traditional ally.

Tajikistan, another former Soviet republic, began joint military exercises with the US military this month, also involving troops from Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. The maneuvers are called “Regional Cooperation – 2022”.

Iran, another ally with which Moscow has sought to strengthen ties after historic sanctions imposed by the West, is already preparing to replace Russia as a supplier of oil to the European market.

Russia warned its partners about the American “danger”.

On Tuesday, Moscow warned its partners in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) about the risk to their security due to participation in joint military exercises with the United States.

Founded in 2001, the organization currently consists of eight countries: China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, with Iran joining in September.

“I want to remind the partners that these events (joint military exercises) are needed by the Americans first of all to study the potential of the theater of war, determine the coordinates of possible targets and adjust their digital maps for their high-altitude weapons. accuracy”, – assured the secretary of the Security Council of Russia, Mykola Patrushev.

Patrushev, who is considered a shadow man and a potential successor to Vladimir Putin, also expressed his “conviction” that all SCO countries are aware of “the main risks that these American initiatives represent” for the security of the Organization’s members.

Patrushev also asked the Russian authorities on Thursday to “protect” the Finns on the border with Russia from the “influence” of the West, in the context in which the Scandinavian country, together with neighboring Sweden, signed a protocol on joining NATO.

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