The European Union has added the Uzbek businessman Rustam Muminov in its 19th sanctions package on October 23. According to the published card, Rustam Muminov holds citizenships of Uzbekistan, Russia, and the United Kingdom (multicitizenship is illegal according to Uzbek laws).
The EU document states that Muminov, 60, is linked to support for the Russian military-industrial complex.
According to Brussels, he controls the Fergana cotton pulp mill, Farg'ona Kimyo Zavodi, whose produce had been supplied to the Perm and Kazan gunpowder factories. These materials could have been used in the production of weapons for the Russian armed forces.
The Fergana Chemical Plant and Raw Materials Cellulose were featured in a joint investigation by the publications "Important Stories," Vlast.Kz, and the OCCRP, as well as an investigation by the BBC Russian Service. The materials claim that these two companies supply cotton pulp 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.
About the Plant
In May, Ukrainian authorities imposed sanctions against three Uzbek companies: Mercury Renaissance, the Fergana Chemical Plant, and Raw Materials Cellulose. Two of the companies were associated with the Uzbek national Rustam Muminov, who was subject to personal sanctions.
At that time, Mercury Renaissance and its subsidiary, Farg'ona Kimyo Zavodi, were owned by Rustam Muminov (60%) and Shakhriyor Sakiyorovich Tadzhiev (40%).
As of today, 60% stake have been transferred to Olga Shagieva, who owns stakes in Aloqainvest, Breegs, Atrium Tashkent, Geo Profi Mombasa Finance, Aloqa Klimkontrol, Visata Group, Fortress Invest, Pod Klyuch, Professional Legion, Excellent Trans Service, Madad Kapital Invest Mikrokredit Tashkiloti, Construction Machinery, and Brown Iron. Some of these businesses were also previously owned by Muminov.
According to the company, the plant has the capacity to produce up to 30,000 tons of cotton pulp per year, with approximately 90% of its produce marketed to the CIS countries, Turkiye, Bulgaria, China, and Europe.
