Stories from Kazakhstan

The Soyuz 2.1a rocket is cleared for the launch of the Progress MS-34 spacecraft. The mission is currently in 'Go for Launch' status with a scheduled window around 22:21 UTC.

A demo flight for the Soyuz-5 rocket is currently set for launch on April 26, 2026. The mission status is listed as 'Go for Launch' pending final confirmation.

The Ministry of Trade has approved 10 additional companies for foreign trade capital company status, bringing the total to 103. Minister Bolat emphasized the need for fundamental reforms in the multilateral trading system. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Russia leads in the volume of foreign capital invested in the Kazakhstan economy. Russia also holds the position of the second largest trading partner for the Republic. The announcement was made during a joint press conference with the Kazakh minister. Construction has also begun on the first Archis airport in Karachay-Cherkessia. Russia and Kazakhstan are planning to construct the first nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan using Russian design. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov identified the project as a flagship joint venture for the two nations.

Kazakhstan plans to redirect oil shipments currently flowing to Germany via the Druzhba pipeline to new destinations starting May 1, 2026. The move is part of a redistribution strategy for the country's energy exports. This decision follows a meeting between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and President Vladimir Putin in Saint Petersburg. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov described the negotiations as useful. The Iranian Foreign Minister's visit to Russia was noted as occurring during a period of regional changes. The volume of fuel involved is 260,000 tons. The redirection of flows was coordinated with the sender, Megi, and is described as operational in nature. The announcement follows discussions regarding the Friendship pipeline infrastructure. The ministry stated that this change in routing is not expected to affect overall production plans.