Kilometer-long queues of trucks loaded with Chinese goods have accumulated on the Russian-Kazakh border. According to Kommersant, these are mainly goods that can be considered dual-use (electronics, drones, spare parts), as well as products of Western brands.
Representatives of freight forwarding companies note that the situation has worsened since mid-September: many of the vehicles are parked in “waiting zones” to avoid inspections. According to the data, up to 7,500 trucks are at the Mashtakovo checkpoint alone.
The reason is enhanced customs control and joint Russian-Kazakh inspections aimed at identifying illegal cargo. As a result, border checkpoints are overloaded, and trucks are standing not only in parking lots but also on the sides of the road.
Russia claimed that the queues were formed only on the Kazakh side due to “additional inspections.” The Kazakh Ministry of Transport, for its part, acknowledges that there are significant accumulations in the neutral zone, particularly of trucks en route to Russia.
According to logisticians, the situation may indicate a new policy by Kazakhstan: the country has begun to comply more strictly with Western sanctions.
