During the Interbellum, Russia sought to extend its influence in Asia as a part of the third Ten-Year Plan. Part of this involved developing links with the mainly Uyghur Muslim region of East Turkestan (known as Sinkiang to the Chinese and termed Dzungaria by the Russians), which had declared independence during the Great War, independence threatened only by the warlords of the area. To encourage the Uyghurs to support Russian colonialism, Tsar Peter V sent a force under Georgiy Zhukov to clear out the bandits and warlords and, being successful, secured a Russo-Dzungar Treaty of Friendship in 1925. From then until 1935 the Russian presence in Central Asia was strengthened, mainly to bolster their vassal khanate in Mongolia, which was threatened by militant Japan and almost just as keenly b