DUSHANBE, September 5, 2012, Asia-Plus -- Russia has announced the start of Russian-language courses for Tajik aw enforcement officers, Radio Liberty reports.

Russia''s Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States said on September 4 that at least 20 officers of the Tajik Prosecutor General''s office, along with officers at the Tajik Defense Ministry and presidential administration, have expressed their intention to study Russian.

Tajik police are also expected to take Russian classes.

In July, Russia sent 200 Russian language instructors to schools in Tajikistan''s northern Sughd region. 

The use of Russian has been on the wane in Central Asia in the years since the 1991 Soviet Union collapse.

Moscow has been seeking to promote the use of Russian as part of what is seen as an initiative to strengthen Russian influence in Central Asia and Caucasus.