By Bruce Pannier The war Russia launched on Ukraine in late February has caused a geopolitical tectonic shift, the shockwaves of which are being felt in many countries around the world. The countries of Central Asia – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan – are bound to Russia by ties established since the Russians colonised Central Asia in the 19th century, but Russia’s growing pariah status in the international community is prompting the Central Asian states to look at other options for foreign partners. Russian Turkestan around 1900 (Credit: HylgeriaK, cc-by-sa 3.0…