The United States has imposed sanctions on four Kyrgyz companies that Washington believes are involved in russia's attempts to circumvent sanctions imposed in connection with the invasion of Ukraine.
Source. This was reported by the BBC.
"Since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, businesses based in the Kyrgyz Republic have often exported controlled electronic components and other technologies to russia. Some of these shipments have included sensitive dual-use items for russian defense companies," the US Treasury said.
Washington's intention to impose sanctions was previously reported by the Washington Post. Two unnamed officials from the administration of President Joe Biden told the newspaper that the decision was made after several months of "fruitless visits" by a number of American and European diplomats to Bishkek.
"Although Kyrgyzstan is a small country compared to others, its example clearly shows all the factors that create an unacceptably favorable environment for circumventing sanctions, without exception," the newspaper quoted a senior official as saying.
According to the US side, russian special services are involved in the re-export of sanctioned goods.
The Kyrgyz embassy in Washington, D.C., responded to WP's request by stating that the country's authorities are committed to complying with international norms and fighting smuggling. The embassy explained the growth of trade with moscow by improving electronic systems for tracking the movement of goods.
Background. As a reminder, a journalistic investigation found that russia receives Western technology through Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan despite sanctions.