Belarusian cousins convicted of supplying Russian weapons industry in Austria

"Two Belarusian cousins were convicted on Aug. 12 by a Vienna court for supplying

manufacturing equipment to Russia's weapons industry in violation of EU sanctions.
The duo were convicted for using an Austria-based business and a network of shell companies to transport metalworking machines and tools into Belarus through third countries, including Turkey, Kyrgyzstan, South Korea, and Poland.
The smuggled equipment was used to manufacture engines for missiles and fighter jets, the Austrian government said. The smuggled equipment was destined for companies affiliated with the Russian state-owned conglomerate Rostec, according to Austria's Interior Ministry." KI

EU Seeks To Close Russia Crypto Loopholes In New Sanctions

"The European Union is finalizing a new package of sanctions aimed at closing loopholes that officials say have allowed Russia to use cryptocurrency to circumvent existing restrictions.
The EU is seeking to ban all cryptocurrency transactions with Russia” as part of the upcoming 20th sanctions package.
Among the foreign lenders, the EU has proposed sanctioning two Kyrgyz banks, Keremet and OJSC Capital Bank of Central Asia, along with banks in Laos and Tajikistan." ZH

5.4 Earthquake - Jalal-Abad oblast, 91 km southwest of Talas, Talas, Kyrgyzstan

"A strong magnitude 5.4 earthquake hit 91 km (56 mi) away from Talas, Talas, Kyrgyzstan, in the early morning at 2.28 am local time (Asia/Bishkek GMT +6). The depth of the quake could not be determined, but is assumed to be shallow.

The earthquake was felt over a large region.. The shallow depth of the quake caused it to be felt more strongly near the epicenter than a deeper quake of similar magnitude would." VD

Ukrainian drone strike injures foreign students from eight countries

"A Ukrainian

military drone strike near the Russian city of Elabuga on Tuesday has left
students from eight foreign countries injured. The attack has left a total of 14 people wounded. Citizens of Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Congo, Kenya, Nigeria and South Sudan” were among them." RT

Two more Moscow allies stop accepting Russian payment card

"Risk of US secondary sanctions has forced banks in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan to suspend financial ties and stop honoring Mir transfers." RT

CSTO's 'Indestructible Brotherhood-2023' Drills in Kyrgyzstan

"Kyrgyzstan is hosting the Indestructible Brotherhood-2023 military drills of the peacekeeping

forces of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) from October 9 to 13.
Some 1,500 servicemen from Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Tajikistan are taking part in the exercises. The troops have employed more than 200 armored and motor vehicles, Mi-8, Mi-17, and Mi-24 helicopters, Su-25, Su-30, and Il-76 planes, unmanned aviation, and combat boats in the drills." Sputnik

Kremlin says that Russian air defense to be placed in Kyrgyzstan

"The Kremlin has said it is important to create a Russian-Kyrgyz joint air defense system, which will be located in Kyrgyzstan...... the Russian side will coordinate the joint actions of the air defense forces, while Kyrgyzstan will be responsible for managing the joint actions of the air defense system troops in the collective security area." UP

How a fully-fledged war between two ex-Soviet states could threaten stability in Central Asia

"While the leaders of more than 20 major Asian countries – – held talks in the ancient city of
Samarkand only a few hundred kilometers away, large-scale hostilities erupted on the border between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, last week. As their presidents also participated in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, the conflict erupted with the use of heavy weapons and claimed hundreds of lives. 

It all began on Wednesday, when the Kyrgyz border service discovered their Tajik counterparts had taken up combat positions on part of the state border, thus nullifying previously reached agreements. In response to the demand to leave the territory, they opened fire. Fighting with the use of heavy weapons continued for several days." RT

Putin visits major international war games

"Putin is touring a military range in the country’s Far East, which is hosting the international Vostok 2022 drills. Vostok 2022 is part of a series of strategic military training exercises held by Russia each year. It is hosted by one of its military districts on a rotating basis. This year, the Eastern Military District welcomed 13 foreign nations, which sent troops and observers to Russia.

Over 2,000 foreign troops joined 50,000 Russian soldiers and officers for the drills, the Defense Ministry told journalists. The countries taking part include Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, and Tajikistan." RT

As Anti-War Russians Flee, Ex-Soviet Kyrgyzstan Prepares for Emigre Influx

"When Kirill Shamiev’s friends started talking about martial law, he realized it was time to leave Russia.

A week into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Shamiev — a 29-year-old Ph.D. student from St. Petersburg — began to worry he himself might be mobilized, or simply be trapped in Russia.

With air tickets to Turkey, Armenia and the Persian Gulf selling out fast, Shamiev was left with a convoluted route out of Russia: a flight to the Urals city of Yekaterinburg, then a connection to Bishkek, the Central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan’s capital.

“It’s cheap here, and people are friendly to Russians,” said Shamiev, who has since left for a European Union country.

Thousands of anti-war Russians have fled their homeland as authorities rammed through draconian new laws against anti-war dissent and domestic repression ramped up. But with European countries’ airspace now closed to Russian flights, most of Russia’s new emigres are heading for the countries of the former Soviet space." MoscowTimes