Kazakhstan, a neighbour and ally of Russia, has suspended all arms exports for a yr, its authorities stated on Saturday (27 August), amid battle in Ukraine and Western sanctions towards Moscow.
The previous Soviet republic – which additionally has energetic financial ties with Kyiv – has prevented taking sides within the Ukrainian disaster whereas calling for its peaceable decision.
The Kazakh authorities didn’t give a purpose in Saturday’s assertion for the choice to halt arms exports.
Kazakhstan produces a variety of army gear together with boats, armoured and artillery autos, machine weapons, night time visors, grenades, torpedoes and protecting gear. The federal government has not stated these things have been being exported.
The Russian press carried publications alleging that Kazakhstan exported arms and ammunition to Ukraine through proxies, by order from the UK.
Arms commerce to problematic purchasers is usually finished by proxies. EU member Bulgaria formally says it doesn’t export weapons and ammunition to Ukraine, however a number of its army manufacturing leads to Ukraine through proxies.
The President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met along with his Russian colleague Vladimir Putin in Sochi on 19 August. The quick readouts from the assembly didn’t point out Kazakh arms commerce among the many points mentioned.
(With further reporting by Georgi Gotev)
