Russian Prime Minister accuses Kyrgyzstan of imposing pressure on Russian businesses

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin claimed that Kyrgyzstani officials are allegedly pressuring Russian businesses for no reason. He made this statement during a meeting with his Kyrgyzstani counterpart, as reported by the Interfax news agency. Russia has also submitted a diplomatic note to Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

According to Mishustin, Kyrgyzstani civil servants are making baseless claims against «respectable» and «good-faith» Russian companies operating in Kyrgyzstan.

He demanded the protection of the rights and interests of Russian investors and an end to pressure they face. Mishustin added that «evidence of illegal and even extortive actions has been outlined in the diplomatic note from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.»

«We had already discussed the protection of the rights of Russian entities with you. As we agreed, I will address the issue upon arrival home and will inform you of the results right away,» said Kyrgyzstani Prime Minister Adylbek Kasymaliev in response to Mushustin’s comment.

In 2024, various media outlets reported that since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, around 450 subsidiaries of Russian companies have been opened by Russian citizens in Kyrgyzstan. According to the 24.kg media portal, many Russian companies established offices in Kyrgyzstan to facilitate the receipt of textile goods, while others moved to Kyrgyzstan to streamline logistics for goods delivered from third-party countries.