Kazakhstan Seizes Roscosmos Property, Demands 2 Billion Rubles Debt Repayment

Kazakhstan seized property and assets administered by Roscosmos in Baikonur cosmodrome following a 2 billion rubles ($26 million) debt dispute.

Russia has a lease agreement for the Baikonur cosmodrome until 2050 costing 7.4 billion rubles ($98 million) per year.

Baikonur cosmodrome is a key launch site for Russian space missions and is also used by other countries including the U.S.

Kazakh-Russian JV Baiterek demanded Roscosmos subsidiary TsENKI to refund the amount paid to check environmental impact of Soyuz-5 mission.

“As the Russian company evidently did not voluntarily pay the demanded sum, its property in Kazakhstan was seized,” Kazakhstan’s Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry, Bagdat Mussin.

In November 2022, the Court of the Astana International Financial Center ruled in favor of Baiterek to recover debt.

Mussin: “It does not affect the Baikonur facilities leased to Russia and under Roscosmos control, but only the property on Kazakh territory belonging to TsENKI.”

TsENKI is also banned from repatriating or selling any tangible assets located in Kazakhstan.

Negotiations are underway to settle the dispute despite the court ruling.

Sanctions against Russia are also mentioned in local media reports as the reason behind seizing of the property, as Kazakhstan is not able to use Russian missiles for commercial launches.