Turkmenistan: Converging Crises

Three crises are occurring in Turkmenistan simultaneously: a grain crisis that could destabilize the country socially; an energy export crisis that has been affecting the country's economy for more than a year; and a financial crisis that could lead to unrest among Turkmenistan's main clans. Any one of these crises would be enough to cause concern in Ashgabat, but together they have created a potentially dangerous situation — one that Russia could exploit to gain influence in the country.