"Wherever the Russian Settles in Asia, the Country Immediately becomes Russian." (Dostoevsky)

The Russian Empire's conquest of Central Asia began with the capture of the city of Tashkent in 1865. Numerous reasons have been put forward for the gradual but continual expansion that followed, but the term “civilizing mission” stands out in particular. What was the intention behind this conquest in the second half of the 19th century and how did it relate to colonization efforts?