Russian state television has aired a documentary that, amongst other thing, accuses the United States of using the Manas air base in Kyrgyzstan for spying operations.
You can see the documentary, which is about 30 minutes long, here. It was shown on Russian state television during prime time on April 5.
The film is made by Arkady Mamontov, who made the Barkhat.ru (Velvet.ru) film about how the United States is fomenting colored revolutions everywhere, including in Russia.
This film is about a lot more than just Manas. It states directly that the United States is a military empire bent on "conquering the world." It says that the U.S. military and its bases around the world ("hundreds" of them) are continuing their basic mission despite the change of administration -- on autopilot.
It accuses the United States of espionage, of human trafficking, and of being the main transit of Afghan heroin into Europe (not only through Manas, but through all its bases in Europe, Kosovo, the Balkans, etc.).
It also accuses the United States of gross arrogance and indifference to other peoples/cultures, especially Muslims. Complete decadent immorality. It says all U.S. aid and humanitarian work is nothing but a cover for domination. It says, literally, that the United States is trying to "buy the world with beads" as a prelude to "putting everyone on reservations."
Propaganda aside, a piece in the "FT" last week makes a good case that Russia is eclipsing American influence in Central Asia and the Caucasus.
-- Robert Coalson/Luke Allnutt