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.