Kazakhstan bans export of goods that could be used in war to Russia

Kazakhstan has banned the export to Russia of 106 types of high-tech goods that could be used in the war.

Source: This was announced by Kairat Torebayev, Vice Minister of Trade and Integration, the Kazakh Telegraph Agency reports.

Details: The minister specified that imports from Russia to Kazakhstan will continue, but exports from Kazakhstan are restricted.

"We export all goods except those related to the war – restrictions have been imposed on them. These are 106 items of goods – we have completely banned their export," said Torebayev.

These goods include drones, electronic chips, and electronics that can be used for war.

"The 106 items specified are not produced in Kazakhstan, but were previously [before Russia's full-scale war with Ukraine – ed.] re-exported through Kazakhstan," Torebayev explained.

For reference:

In the first half of 2023, Russia imported goods worth US$14.1 billion from the European Union alone, using transit routes through Kazakhstan and other parallel import hubs (Georgia, Armenia, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan).

Compared to the same period in 2022, the volume of such imports soared by almost 60%, or US$5.2 billion. The main items imported were telecoms equipment, microelectronics, electrical equipment, transport equipment, computers, servers, hard drives and smartphones.

Kazakhstan's measures became known a few weeks after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Astana. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the president of the republic, confirmed his intention to adhere to sanctions against Russia after talks with Scholz.

In September, the US Department of the Treasury blacklisted 150 legal entities and individuals, including companies from Türkiye and Finland, which were found to have supplied Russian entities involved in manufacturing military drones and cruise missiles.

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