Long lines of cargo trucks at border checkpoints between Kazakhstan and Russia have disrupted up to a quarter of consumer imports from China.

Alexey Zakhudalin, head of logistics at Service Logistics Company (SLC), said that in November 2025 alone, between 10 per cent and 25 per cent of total consumer goods imports from China were effectively stuck at the Kazakh border, The Caspian Post reports via Russian media.

The congestion followed tighter customs inspection requirements introduced by Kazakh authorities in September-November 2025. The stricter controls led to major bottlenecks, forcing logistics operators to reconsider transport routes and redirect shipments.

Zakhudalin said that the impact varied depending on the logistics provider, but inspections at checkpoints between Russia and Kazakhstan significantly reshaped cargo flows toward alternative corridors.

Stricter Controls, Rising Risks

Andrey Dmitrichev, CEO of freight forwarding company MTA Group, said that Kazakhstan has maintained enhanced scrutiny over dual-use goods, footwear, clothing, and microelectronics.

“The route remains risky due to unpredictability and potential additional costs - which is why it is often placed last when planning logistics,” Dmitrichev noted.

Thousands of Trucks Stranded

The situation escalated sharply in mid-September 2025, when kilometer-long queues formed at checkpoints on Kazakhstan’s borders with both Russia and China. In early October, the temporary closure of all checkpoints along the China-Kazakhstan border further worsened the crisis.

At the peak of the disruption:

Around 2,500 trucks were waiting at the Russia-Kazakhstan border

Up to 10,000 trucks were backed up at the China-Kazakhstan border