The press service of the Ministry of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan reported, on October 25, that Russia’s current ban on the transit of some Kazakhstani goods contradicts the fundamental principles of the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). Russia’s restrictions are negatively affecting Kazakhstan’s economy, especially its coal industry and, in particular, coal exports to Ukraine. According to Kazakhstani authorities, the Central Asian republic’s coal miners are losing more than $11 million monthly. Also, Russia is practicing unjustified stoppages of coal-carrying rail cars near the Ukrainian border (Government.kz, October 25). Incidentally, in September, Kyrgyzstan also accused Russia of a similar practice (Kommersant, September 10). According to Mykhaylo Volynets, a Ukrainian member of parliament and the chairperson of the Confederation of Free Trade Unions, in October Russia began blocking coal exports to Ukraine via Belarus (Kosatka.media, October 3).
Russia's War Against Ukraine
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Alla Hurska: Russia’s ‘coal weapon’
Veterans of Ukraine's ongoing war patrol near the coal train they blockaded traveling from the occupied territories at Krivoy Torets station on Feb. 14, 2017.
