Kyrgyzstan's top hygienic expert has questioned Russia's stated reasons for suddenly banning its dairy imports after calls emerged in that Central Asian country to abandon the Cyrillic alphabet imposed by Soviet authorities after the 1940s. Ashirbai Jusupov, director of the State Inspection for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Safety, said Bishkek received no formal notification from its Russian counterpart agency but was "ready to fulfill any request" from Rosselkhoznadzor. He suggested "minor flaws" cited by the Russian side fell under agreements within the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union. The Rosselkhoznadzor ban came into effect on April 21. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service, click here.
Top Kyrgyz Inspector Questions Russia's Milk Ban Amid Possible Souring Over Cyrillic Alphabet
Editors' Picks
RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.
If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.
To find out more, click here.