Putin Gifts Four Amur Tigers to Kazakhstan Ahead of Strategic Visit
Russia's Diplomatic and Economic Engagements with Kazakhstan
By Jekaterina Golubkova
Amur Tigers Transferred to Kazakhstan
May 27 (Reuters) - Russia has handed Kazakhstan four Amur tigers, two of them cubs, to help the country restore its numbers of the animals, President Vladimir Putin said in an article issued ahead of his visit to the Central Asian nation this week.
Kazakhstan's Strategic Importance
Rich in energy resources and critical minerals, Kazakhstan shares a border with Russia and is a close ally of Moscow in a region where China and the United States are also expanding their influence.
Details of the Tiger Transfer
The four animals captured in Russia's far eastern region of Khabarovsk were flown to Kazakhstan, Putin said on the Kremlin's website on Tuesday, and are soon to be released into the wild.
Animal Diplomacy in Russian Foreign Policy
Putin is no stranger to using animals to advance diplomatic efforts.
Previous Animal Gifts
In 2022, Russia sent 30 grey thoroughbred horses to North Korea, as the nations have boosted ties since Ukraine's invasion that year. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is a keen horseman.
Kazakhstan's Conservation Efforts
Restoring the Tiger Population
Kazakhstan, which is trying to restore the tiger population in Central Asia, sees the Amur tiger as a close relative of the extinct Caspian tiger. The Russian gesture boosts the country's tally of the animals previously sent by the Netherlands.
Strategic Agreements and Economic Cooperation
Nuclear Power Project
On his visit, Putin will oversee the signing of a deal for a nuclear power project in Kazakhstan, which has no nuclear power generation now, and will discuss efforts to boost the transit of Russian oil to China through the country, the Kremlin has said.
Reporting and Editorial Credits
(Reporting by Jekaterīna Golubkova in Tokyo; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
