No Plans to Cooperate with Sanctioned Russian Aircraft Plant - Kazakhstan's Emergency Ministry

Kazakhstan's Ministry of Emergency Situations has clarified that it does not plan to cooperate with the sanctions-hit Russian aircraft plant in Ulan-Ude, Orda reports.

On February 11, Kazakhstan's Ambassador to Russia, Dauren Abayev, visited Buryatia, a republic within the Russian Federation, and met with its head, Alexey Tsydenov.

During this visit, local media reported that the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant was among the enterprises that allegedly caught the ambassador's interest.

The Ulan-Ude plant and its parent company, Russian Helicopters, are under sanctions for producing military equipment used in Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 

Kazakhstan's Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Trade said there were no plans for cooperation with the sanctioned facility.

The Ministry of Emergency Situations, which had previously indicated intentions to purchase Russian helicopters for rescue operations last September, has also responded to our inquiry:

There are no specific plans for developing cooperation specifically with Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant OJSC, since when selecting suppliers, the Ministry of Emergency Situations is guided by technical characteristics, compliance with needs, pricing policy and the general geopolitical situation, Vice Minister Batyrbek Abdyshev said in response to an inquiry from Orda.kz.

The Ministry further explained that all foreign policy risks, including sanctions implications, are evaluated interdepartmental within government-approved frameworks.

While Ambassador Abayev may have shown interest in the Russian facility, any actual cooperation would require a thorough assessment of deals and potential consequences at a higher governmental level.

Original Author: Nikita Drobny