On December 18, the United Kingdom expanded its sanctions list against Russia, adding 24 individuals and entities, including one businessman and four companies from Uzbekistan.
The list specifically includes Rustam Rakhimjanovich Muminov. The document states that he was born in Tashkent in 1953 and holds Uzbek, Israeli, and Russian citizenship. The British government alleges that he provides financial services, funds, economic resources, goods, and technologies that could contribute to the destabilization of Ukraine and the undermining or threatening of its territorial integrity, sovereignty, or independence. The European Union and Ukraine previously imposed sanctions against Muminov.
The following companies registered in Uzbekistan have been added to the sanctions list:
- Fergana Chemical Plant;
- Gelion Business Trade LLC (Tashkent);
- JV Chemistry International LLC (Navoi);
- Raw Materials Cellulose LLC (Jizzakh).
All of these companies, according to British authorities, supply Russia with goods or technologies that the Russian army is using in the war against Ukraine.
The Fergana Chemical Plant and Raw Materials Cellulose are also subject to Ukrainian sanctions.
The Fergana Chemical Plant and Raw Materials Cellulose were featured in a joint investigation by "Important Stories," Vlast.Kz, and the OCCRP, as well as an investigation by the BBC Russian Service. The materials allege that these two companies supply cotton cellulose to Russian gunpowder factories both directly and through private intermediaries. According to journalists' estimates, the volume of these supplies has increased severalfold since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Chemistry International is a joint venture started on October 27, 2021. It manufactures cotton cellulose and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. Its founders are Alliance Capital (74.20%) and Navoiazot JSC (25.80%). The company's authorized capital is 46.2 billion soums.
