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Kazakh companies supply electronic warfare equipment to Russia despite sanctions, media reports

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Kazakh companies supply electronic warfare equipment to Russia despite sanctions, media reports
Photo for illustrative purposes. An electronic warfare system is displayed during the exhibition of military equipment as part of the event 'From Idea to Soldier Platform' in Kyiv. (Kaniuka Ruslan / Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

Several companies in Kazakhstan are playing a significant role in helping Russia circumvent Western sanctions by supplying equipment for the development of electronic warfare (EW) systems, according to The Insider, the Russian independent investigative outlet.

The outlet reported on Nov. 15 that Kazakhstan-based firms, including Askarlab, Dicosta Technologies, Panalem Technologies, and Computer Services Ltd, have been sourcing equipment from Europe, Asia, and the United States, then delivering it to Russia.

From 2023 to 2024, these companies acquired products from international manufacturers, including Germany’s Rohde & Schwarz, France’s Safran Data Systems, the U.S.-based Mini-Circuits, and Ireland’s Farran Technology.

The sourced equipment consisted of advanced components such as radio frequency filters, frequency analyzers, RF adapters, amplifiers, attenuators, frequency extenders, satellite modems, and vector network analyzers.

The Insider cited customs declarations from the Zhetysu customs post in Almaty, Russian records, and communications involving Askarlab’s director. Since 2023, these items have been transported by air, processed through customs, and, in numerous cases, sent to Russia. Askarlab alone reportedly procured high-end radio-technical equipment valued at approximately $2 million between November 2023 and early 2024.

The Insider pointed out that Russia's reliance on alternative supply routes has prompted Western countries to impose secondary sanctions on organizations involved in facilitating such activities. These measures aim to curtail the flow of restricted technology and equipment to Russia amidst ongoing geopolitical tensions.

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Olena Goncharova

Head of North America desk

Olena Goncharova is the Head of North America desk at The Kyiv Independent, where she has previously worked as a development manager and Canadian correspondent. She first joined the Kyiv Post, Ukraine's oldest English-language newspaper, as a staff writer in January 2012 and became the newspaper’s Canadian correspondent in June 2018. She is based in Edmonton, Alberta. Olena has a master’s degree in publishing and editing from the Institute of Journalism in Taras Shevchenko National University in Kyiv. Olena was a 2016 Alfred Friendly Press Partners fellow who worked for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for six months. The program is administered by the University of Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia.

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