The European Union’s proposed 21st sanctions package against Russia could affect companies in Central Asia, including firms in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, as Brussels moves to tighten controls on sanctions circumvention.
Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have been named among the countries whose organisations may face new restrictions, although Brussels has yet to disclose which businesses could be affected.
Announcing the measures, the EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said the bloc plans to intensify pressure on Moscow by targeting networks and structures used to bypass existing sanctions.
“Brick by brick, we are collapsing the foundations of Russia's war economy,” Kallas wrote on social media platform X. “Today, we are presenting our proposals for a 21st sanctions package against Russia. This includes a temporary freeze of the Russian oil price cap and designations of institutions used by Moscow to generate revenues and circumvent EU sanctions. It will target banks, weapons manufacturers, oil traders, refineries, and crypto operators in third countries.”
The package also includes additional export control measures affecting 50 companies worldwide that the EU says are linked to supporting Russia’s military-industrial complex.
More than 30 entities connected to drone production could be added to the sanctions list, alongside companies from China, Türkiye, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, the United Arab Emirates and India, Kallas said.
However, the EU has not yet identified which companies from Central Asia could be included. The European Commission has also not published the list of entities under consideration, leaving the potential impact on businesses in the region unclear.
Alongside measures targeting foreign organisations, the proposed package includes restrictions on dozens of Russian banks, cryptocurrency platforms, oil sector companies and businesses linked to arms production. Brussels is also seeking to ban exports to Russia of certain metals, alloys, chemicals and components that could potentially be used in military manufacturing.
European Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho said the 21st sanctions package could be formally presented by 14 June. It would then require approval from all EU member states before coming into force.
This would not be the first time companies from Central Asia have been included in EU sanctions. In the bloc’s 20th package, Kazakhstan-based United Trading Group LLP was added to the list after EU authorities said it had supplied chemicals used in semiconductor wafer processing.
The same package also marked the first inclusion of entities from Kyrgyzstan. Keremet Bank and Capital Bank were placed under EU restrictions over concerns that they may have been used to bypass sanctions against Russia, including through the SPFS financial messaging system, which has been under EU sanctions since 2024.
The latest AnewZ investigative documentary examines how Emmanuel Macron’s promise to break with France’s old political habits collided with diplom...
Iranian and Qatari delegations are expected to meet on Wednesday in Doha to discuss the release of Tehran's assets, estimated at $12 billion, that wer...
Pakistan has responded to a deadly Karachi Rangers compound attack with cross-border strikes and diplomatic protests against Afghanistan, signalling a...
A severe heatwave in France has overwhelmed funeral services and mortuary storage facilities, with undertakers reporting they are unable to cope with ...
Greek rescue teams searched on Tuesday after a four-storey apartment building collapsed in the Petralona district of Athens. Four people initially fea...
The latest AnewZ investigative documentary examines how Emmanuel Macron’s promise to break with France’s old political habits collided with diplomatic setbacks in Africa and legal fallout surrounding figures once close to the Élysée.
Pakistan has responded to a deadly Karachi Rangers compound attack with cross-border strikes and diplomatic protests against Afghanistan, signalling a tougher counterterrorism stance towards militants it says are based there.
A severe heatwave in France has overwhelmed funeral services and mortuary storage facilities, with undertakers reporting they are unable to cope with a surge in deaths linked to extreme temperatures.
Greek rescue teams searched on Tuesday after a four-storey apartment building collapsed in the Petralona district of Athens. Four people initially feared trapped were later found safe, while search operations continued as a precaution.
Rescue teams raced on Sunday to find more survivors of the two powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela this week, with signs of life bringing occasional relief to a grim quest to whittle down a list of tens of thousands missing.
Iranian and U.S. negotiating teams were due in Doha this week, but Iran said on Monday no meeting had been scheduled as weekend missile fire from both sides tested the interim ceasefire to end the four-month-old war.
The U.S. and Iran have agreed to 'stand down' and resume technical talks, allowing vessels allowed to move freely under the interim peace deal, a U.S. official said.
The United States and Iran have agreed to halt strikes against each other, in a potential breakthrough after weeks of escalating tensions. The two sides are expected to meet in Doha on Tuesday to address their dispute over the Strait of Hormuz.
Six adults were killed in a shooting at a youth welfare facility in northern Germany on Monday, with police detaining two people, including the suspected gunman.
The Kyrgyz government has tightened oversight of the country's fuel market, introducing stricter monitoring measures to prevent petroleum shortages and ensure stable supplies amid continuing geopolitical uncertainty.
China and several Central Asian countries have agreed to develop a joint satellite constellation to monitor natural disasters, track environmental change and improve regional disaster preparedness through shared remote-sensing data.
International calls for restraint are growing after the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said Pakistani airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan killed at least 28 civilians and injured 49 others on Sunday (28 June).
Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan are advancing plans for a new energy corridor beneath the Caspian Sea that could carry renewable electricity from Central Asia to Europe, linking the region's growing clean energy sector with European markets.
Afghanistan has been ranked last among 194 countries in the KidsRights Index 2026, as the Dutch-based foundation warned that children’s rights are facing growing pressure worldwide.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment