Russia buys and imports drones and electronics for its armed forces through Kazakhstan. And Western sanctions do not even stand in the way of this.

This is stated in the investigation of "Important Stories".

According to investigative journalists, foreign trade statistics show that imports of drones and microelectronics to Kazakhstan have increased significantly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The scale of imports of these goods from Kazakhstan to Russia has also increased.

"Import intermediaries are Kazakhstani companies registered by Russians after the start of the war. Journalists found several examples of such enterprises. Kazakhstan's Aspan Arba imported the drones and supplied them to the Russian company Nebesnaya Mekhanika, which sold them to military-linked entities. Both companies are owned and operated by the same persons. The Kazakh company Da Group 22 imported electronics to Russia, which it received from Germany," the investigation says.

The manufacturers of components are not indicated in the documents, but the countries of origin of the goods are indicated: they were imported to Kazakhstan from Hong Kong, Germany, the Netherlands and Singapore.

The scheme by which drones enter the Russian Federation \ Infographic: JAMES O'BRIEN/OCCRP

According to a similar scheme, microchips are imported to Russia / Infographic: JAMES O'BRIEN/OCCRP JAMES O'BRIEN/OCCRP

In addition, in 2022, drones worth $ 1.23 million were imported from Kazakhstan to Russia.

Russia and Kazakhstan are members of the Eurasian Economic Union, and there are no customs borders between them.

Earlier, spokesman for the Air Force Command of Ukraine Yuriy Ihnat said that the Russian occupiers continue to produce high-precision missiles, spare parts for them are probably smuggled.

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