Russia will build Central Asia’s first nuclear power plant in an agreement with Uzbekistan

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia and Uzbekistan have signed an accord for Moscow to build a small nuclear power plant in the Central Asian country. The agreement came during talks in the Uzbek capital between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Uzbekistan leader Shavkat Mirziyoyev. If the agreement is implemented, the plant would become the first in Central Asia, further increasing Russia’s influence in the region. The talks took place in the Uzbek capital, Tashkent, where the Russian leader traveled on Sunday in his third foreign trip since being inaugurated for a fifth presidential term.