Kyrgyzstan’s Justice Ministry has suspended the operations of 50 legal entities found to have carried out transactions with a high sanctions risk. The move was unprecedented for the authorities in Bishkek, local outlet 24.kg reported.
The measures were taken under an interagency order on cooperation to identify bad-faith participants in foreign economic activity. The list of companies was prepared by the Ministry of Economy and Commerce together with other government agencies that had previously reviewed cases of sanctions circumvention.
In an official statement, the ministry said the measures are aimed at protecting the national economy from the potential impact of secondary sanctions. It added that a set of control mechanisms had been adopted in the interests of “Western partners” to prevent sanctions violations.
On April 22, the EU for the first time activated a special “anti-circumvention tool” against Kyrgyzstan to counter sanctions evasion involving Russia. The move barred the Central Asian country from importing a range of dual-use goods, such as computer numerical control (CNC) machines and radios, from Europe. Brussels said Bishkek is being systematically used to re-export such goods to Russia and that technical talks on strengthening border controls have failed to produce results. Several Kyrgyz logistics companies were also cut off from access to EU transport infrastructure.
The EU had previously sanctioned several Kyrgyz banks on suspicion of helping circumvent its restrictions. Bishkek has repeatedly called the measures unfounded, while the country’s Foreign Ministry said in 2023 that Kyrgyzstan complies with sanctions “where possible.”
In March 2026, Kyrgyz Deputy Prime Minister Daniyar Amangeldiev denied a Financial Times report that the country was prepared to sue the EU over sanctions linked to re-exports. He said Bishkek was instead ready to impose its own sanctions on companies supplying Moscow with sanctioned goods, including by revoking their registration.
