Due to the tightening of customs control by the customs authorities of this state, the delivery times for a large number of goods to Russia have increased by two weeks. Similar problems are anticipated with supplies through other CIS countries, for example, through Armenia. As reported by "Izvestia", only the Belarusian route operates without delays.
The commercial director of Novasmart, a company engaged in international payments and working with foreign suppliers, Olga Shoall, stated that control has tightened the most in Kazakhstan. There, almost all cargo is inspected—especially equipment and auto components. This is related to the pressure of Western sanctions, the growth of transit flows, and the fight against gray imports.
The founder of Anderida financial group, Alexey Tarapovsky, notes that previously delivery through Kazakhstan took from 10 to 30 days, now the terms have increased to one and a half months.
Up to 35% of parallel imports to Russia go through Kazakhstan. For comparison: Armenia accounts for up to 10% of transit, Georgia for up to 7%, and Belarus for about 20-25%. Now businesses are looking for alternative routes—through Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, and directly from China.
The enhanced control primarily concerns dual-use goods (that is, those that can be used for military purposes). However, it is not always obvious which engineering products fall into this practically prohibited category. For example, all spare parts for any trucks and construction equipment can theoretically be classified as such.
But the strictness does not apply to all goods, even those under sanctions.
The commercial director of the payment operator "Impaya Rus," Alexey Razumovsky, cited branded items like Gucci or Louis Vuitton bags as examples that still cross the border without problems.
What should we expect against this backdrop?
Delays at customs can lead to temporary shortages in certain niches, especially for small and medium-sized businesses. This may increase prices for consumers—by up to 10%.
The cost of imports is influenced not only by logistics but also by fluctuations in the exchange rate, rising insurance rates, and informal payments for expedited border crossings,
Violating delivery deadlines also carries the risk of fines from retailers and reduced profitability of transportation.
Perishable goods carry an even greater risk of delays.
In response to journalists' inquiries about whether delays are being recorded, the press service of the Federal Customs Service noted that Russia, Kazakhstan, and Armenia are part of the Eurasian Economic Union and have a single customs territory. However, this does not mean that goods do not undergo inspection.