Putin to visit Kyrgyzstan, first trip abroad since ICC arrest warrant
Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit Kyrgyzstan in mid-October, according to authorities in Bishkek. The visit, which will be Putin's first trip abroad since the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for him, is seen as a sign of Russia's continued influence in Central Asia.
"At the invitation of Kyrgyz President Sadir Japarov, on October 12, Russian President Vladimir Putin will pay an official visit to the country," the official Kabar agency said, citing a senior official in the presidential administration of the Moscow-allied state.
Putin will attend a meeting of the leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) on October 13 in Bishkek, as well as a gala to mark the 20th anniversary of the opening of a Russian military base in Kyrgyzstan.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced at the end of September that Putin would visit the Central Asian state, but did not specify the date.
The visit will be Putin's first abroad since the ICC issued a warrant for his arrest in the spring on charges of deporting children from Ukraine. This has limited his international travel. As a result, the Russian president was forced to cancel his trip to the BRICS summit in South Africa in August.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
