Neither Russian nor Kazakh authorities have officially commented on the reasons for the colossal traffic jams that have accumulated at the border crossings between the two countries. According to unconfirmed reports, the delays are linked to intensified cargo inspections and the requirement to bring all documents into compliance with the Customs Union regulations. By the most conservative estimates, truck drivers will have to spend at least several weeks in these queues.
Logistics companies are reporting record-breaking truck congestion at the border crossings between Russia and Kazakhstan. Preliminary estimates suggest that on the Russian side, approximately 5,000 trucks are waiting their turn at all checkpoints (CPPs), with an even larger number on the Kazakh side. Official information regarding the causes of these widespread delays is currently unavailable.
Moscow-based entrepreneur Alexey informed the Business FM editorial office that his cargo from China has been stuck at the Kazakh border for almost a week and has not moved an inch since then. He describes the situation as a “dead” traffic jam:
“I was expecting the cargo on September 13th. As I understand it, since September 10-11th, trucks have been standing at the border completely motionless. No one knows how long this will last; there`s complete uncertainty. The queue stretches for many kilometers; the vehicles aren`t moving, the customs office itself is empty, there are no specific deadlines, and no one knows anything. Trucks are just standing, and no one is allowed through.”
“— Are there any explanations for why this is happening? Are these unscheduled inspections at the checkpoints?”
“— There are some inspections, but no specific details. A week has already passed. It`s not just a few trucks, but all these vehicles have been standing for a whole week. Before this, trucks were inspected for literally 10-15 minutes, and those that make regular runs passed through without issues. Then, in late July — August, there were delays of up to three days, but now everything has completely stopped. A large part of this cargo isn`t coming directly from Kazakhstan; it`s transit from China through Kazakhstan. The problem isn`t that Kazakhstan isn`t letting us through or we`re not letting cargo from Kazakhstan through; I assume some kind of enhanced inspection might be planned on their side.”
According to logistics services, the most severe accumulations of trucks are observed at three main border crossings: Bugristoye (Chelyabinsk region), Veseloyarsk (Altai Krai), and Petukhovo (Kurgan region). The total number of trucks awaiting passage at the Kazakh border is estimated by businesses at 5,000 units. Similar large-scale congestion is also observed on the Kazakh side, where trucks are accumulating near Uralsk, by the village of Mashtakovo, on the border with the Orenburg region. Alexey Cherenkov, Head of Oversized and FTL Transportation Department at Holding Finance Broker, commented on the situation from the Kazakh side:
Alexey Cherenkov Head of Oversized and FTL Transportation Department, Holding Finance Broker: “Russia, as part of our Customs Union, is currently seeking to bring all our countries — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan — into the previous legal framework of the Customs Union, ensuring that declarations and payments are correctly processed. This is all due to that. They said that these accumulations started forming around September 8th. There are now about 6,500-7,000 trucks there, and the queue is gradually growing. Drivers are in a difficult situation, which is regrettable, as they are waiting without proper conditions or processing.”
Business representatives have been trying for almost a week to obtain any official information, but so far, only rumors circulate about unscheduled inspections, the operation of special inspection groups, and the estimated duration of the delays — from 10 to 20 days. Kirill Latinsky, Executive Director of “Transasia Logistics,” notes that despite the common customs space between Russia and Kazakhstan, enhanced inspections can be conducted for special reasons, and such reasons currently exist for both Moscow and Astana:
Kirill Latinsky Executive Director, Transasia Logistics: “There`s significant and widespread inspection of vehicles with Kazakh license plates, especially those transporting consolidated cargo to the Russian Federation. I assume this is related to combating so-called `grey` imports. Indeed, a considerable amount of `grey` import goods enters Russia, transiting from China. Additionally, there`s an aspect related to the fact that Kazakh authorities themselves inspect almost 99% of all cargo transiting through Kazakhstan to Russia. They are looking for dual-use goods, equipment, electronics, and items included in sanction lists. Furthermore, there`s a new system for foreigners, called Ru ID, similar to `Gosuslugi,` which started operating on June 30, 2025. Foreign citizens, including those from Kazakhstan, must register on this platform and inform about their planned entry into the Russian Federation 72 hours in advance.”
Business FM sought clarification from the Federal Customs Service but had not received a response at the time of publication. The previous major truck congestion at this border occurred in June of this year, but it resolved within 3-4 days and did not cause significant losses to businesses. The extent of the damage from the current queues has not yet even begun to be calculated.
Rupert Blackwood 
Clement Ashworth