The European Union has imposed sanctions on two Uzbek companies involved in the production of cotton cellulose as part of its 20th package of restrictive measures against Russia. The blacklist includes the Fergana Chemical Plant and Raw Materials Cellulose LLC, based in the Jizzakh region.
According to the EU’s official statement, the Fergana Chemical Plant supplies cotton cellulose to the Perm Gunpowder Plant and the Kazan State Gunpowder Plant, which allegedly use it to manufacture weapons for the Russian Armed Forces. The company is purportedly controlled by Uzbek businessman Rustam Muminov. The EU claims that by providing these materials, the company is supporting Russia’s military-industrial complex.
Raw Materials Cellulose LLC is accused of supplying cotton cellulose to Russian defense enterprises, including the federal state enterprise Tambov Gunpowder Plant, which reportedly uses the material for gunpowder production. The EU asserts that both companies have directly contributed to Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine.
In November 2025, the EU had already sanctioned Rustam Muminov, who is said to control the Fergana Chemical Plant. At that time, investigative outlets such as Vazhnyye Istorii, Vlast.kz, and the OCCRP consortium, as well as the BBC Russian Service, published reports linking both companies to Russian munitions manufacturers.
According to those investigations, the two Uzbek firms have been shipping cotton cellulose to Russian gunpowder plants both directly and through intermediaries. Journalists estimated that since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, the volume of these deliveries has increased several times over.
In May 2025, the Ukrainian government imposed sanctions on three Uzbek companies: Mercury Renaissance, the Fergana Chemical Plant, and Raw Materials Cellulose. At the time, Mercury Renaissance and its subsidiary, the Fergana Chemical Plant, were owned by Rustam Rakhimzhonovich Muminov (60%) and Shakhriyor Sakhiyorovich Tojiyev (40%).
By December 2025, the United Kingdom had also sanctioned Muminov, who had previously been targeted by the EU. The UK restrictions extended to four Uzbek entities: Fergana Chemical Plant, Raw Materials Cellulose, Gelion Business Trade, and Chemistry International.
In February 2026, the Uzbek government tightened controls on the export of cellulose and cotton products due to the risk of sanctions. According to Jamshid Khodjayev, the measures amount to “strict oversight” rather than a ban. Banks were reportedly instructed to halt transactions involving these goods, citing potential military end-use concerns.
Source: www.gazeta.uz