(C) EurasiaNet
This story was originally published by EurasiaNet and is unaltered.
 . . . . . . . . . .



Astana authorities to probe operations of sanctioned Kazakh company [1]

['Almaz Kumenov', 'Ekaterina Venkina']

Date: 2024-06 

The sanctioned Kazakh firm reportedly supplied Russia with components used in products with military applications, including drones. (Photo: gov.ru)

A Kazakh company is among the latest targets of US sanctions designed to impede Russia’s ability to wage war in Ukraine.

The United States announced sanctions on June 12 against more than 300 individuals and entities from Russia and other countries that “support [the Kremlin’s] military efforts and avoid sanctions.” The list includes KBR Technologies LLP, an entity registered in May 2022 in the northern Kazakh city of Petropavlovsk near the border with Russia.

“Today’s actions strike at [Russia’s] remaining avenues for international materials and equipment, including their reliance on critical supplies from third countries,” the US statement quoted Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen as saying.

According to the Treasury Department, KBR Technologies made hundreds of illicit deliveries of components and other goods via Belarus to Russian entities that manufacture finished electronic products, including those with military applications.

An investigation conducted by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project found that from April to August 2023 alone, $2.5 million worth of high-tech equipment was sent to Russia by KBR Technologies.

The new list of sanctions also includes several entities located in Kyrgyzstan that acted as intermediaries in the purchase and transit of prohibited goods.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and other officials have repeatedly stated that Kazakhstan complies with US sanctions against Russia. But journalistic investigations have shown that the country has been used as a conduit for Russian sanctions-busting activity.

Kazakh authorities have promised to conduct a probe in KBR Technologies’ operations. Minister of National Economy Nurlan Baybazarov downplayed the impact of the sanctions against the Kazakh entity on the broader economy. “On the scale of our country, this is an insignificant impact. One specific company was hit,” he said. “There will be no effect of secondary sanctions.”

[END]
---
[1] Url: https://eurasianet.org/astana-authorities-to-probe-operations-of-sanctioned-kazakh-company

Published and (C) by EurasiaNet
Content appears here under this condition or license: Creative Commons CC BY-ND 4.0.

via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/eurasianet/