Kazakhstan tightens export rules for Russia
Illustrative photo: Kazakhstan has not officially joined the sanctions against Russia (Getty Images)
Kazakhstan has introduced new export control rules for one year, which apply exclusively to supplies to Russia. In this way, the country plans to combat Russian attempts to import dual-use goods and circumvent sanctions, according to the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine.
The updated export control regime includes mandatory licensing for the export of a whole range of goods, primarily those subject to Western sanctions. In addition, monitoring of products imported from the European Union, the US, and the UK will be strengthened.
Goods that fall under the above criteria will be prohibited from further re-export within the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). This primarily concerns Russia, which is trying to circumvent sanctions through Kazakhstan.
The Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine says that Kazakhstan is currently deepening its coordination with the EU in the field of preventing sanctioned transit. The country is trying to maintain a balance between the West and the Kremlin: officially, Kazakhstan has not joined the sanctions, but its actions show its willingness to significantly narrow Russia's access to goods that are critical to its military-industrial complex.
Sanctions against Russia
As of 2025, the EU has adopted 19 packages of restrictions and is working on the 20th. It is assumed that the 20th package of sanctions may be approved in January 2026.
In addition, the European Union is considering new measures against participants who facilitate the activities of the so-called shadow fleet of Russian tankers.
Also in October, US President Donald Trump announced a new package of tough sanctions against the Russian energy sector. The list of restrictions includes oil giants Lukoil and Rosneft, along with their subsidiaries. This has significantly affected Russia's revenues.
Against the backdrop of sanctions, Vladimir Putin is trying to portray the Russian economy as capable of sustaining a protracted war against Ukraine. But this is a lie: for the first time since the start of the war, Russia has been forced to significantly raise taxes on businesses and the population, as sanctions have left it short of money for the war, and the Russian budget is as full of holes as a sieve.
