BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 25. Russia and Kazakhstan continue to strengthen cross-border transport connectivity through rail, road, river and air links while expanding joint logistics infrastructure, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
According to the Kremlin, he made the remark at the opening of the 22nd Russia-Kazakhstan Interregional Cooperation Forum.
Putin said increasing the capacity of border and customs infrastructure remained one of the key priorities for both countries, which share the world's longest continuous land border of nearly 7,500 kilometers. "A pressing task for our countries is increasing the capacity of transit and customs terminals along our common border," he said.
According to the Russian president, railway cooperation continues to develop steadily. "Last year, bilateral rail freight transportation increased by 4% to nearly 95 million tons, while in January-May this year it grew by another 5.7%," Putin said.
He also pointed to the Selyatino freight terminal in the Moscow Region, built with Kazakhstan's participation, which serves not only bilateral cargo flows but also transit shipments to third countries, including China. Among recent developments, Putin highlighted the launch in May of the first autonomous truck freight route between Moscow and Astana, noting that similar services are expected to be introduced on additional international routes.
The Russian president also referred to cooperation on inland waterways, particularly the Irtysh River, where the two countries are preparing a joint master plan balancing cargo transportation, water resource management and environmental protection. In addition, Putin said direct air connectivity between Russia and Kazakhstan continues to expand. "The frequency of flights is increasing and their geography is covering more destinations. The next step will be the launch of flights from Orenburg to Almaty following the opening of a new international terminal," he said.
Concluding his remarks, Putin expressed confidence that transport cooperation would continue to strengthen the broader strategic partnership between Russia and Kazakhstan across multiple sectors.
