With Russia’s attention having been primarily focused on the Ukrainian crisis in the past months, the coverage of Asia in Russian media and academic reports has been even sparser than usual. Not surprisingly, much of the writing on Asia is framed in the context of the Ukrainian crisis. Putin's recent visit to China and the gas deal between Gazprom and CNPC, however, have sparked some debate in Russian media. Other articles reflect on the implications of the Ukrainian crisis for Russia’s engagement with Asia, mainly in the economic and security realms. Special attention is paid to Russia's evolving relations with Japan in the aftermath of the Crimea annexation. Some articles also examine Russia's relations with the DPRK, and its development of the Russian Far East, emphasizing the role of China in this process.

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