Wednesday, August 13, 2025 - Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree prohibiting the use of foreign-made military uniforms for the Russian Armed Forces from January 1, 2026, with a further requirement that all fabrics and materials be sourced domestically from 2027.
The decree, dated and signed on August 11, directs the
Russian government, Ministry of Defense, and Ministry of Industry and Trade to
ensure that all clothing and equipment for the armed forces are manufactured by
Russian companies operating within the country. By 2027, the materials used
must also be produced on Russian soil.
It remains unclear whether the ban will extend to close
allies such as Belarus and Kazakhstan, both members of the same free trade
bloc. The countries currently supplying Russian military uniforms have not been
officially disclosed, though Radio Free Asia previously reported that North
Korea provided uniforms as recently as late 2022.
According to that report, Russia supplied materials to North
Korea, where the uniforms were produced in Pyongyang factories before being
shipped back to Russia by rail. The two countries later signed a mutual defense
treaty in 2024, expanding military and trade cooperation, with Pyongyang
supplying troops, weapons, and munitions to support Moscow’s war in Ukraine in
exchange for resources and technological assistance.
It is not yet known whether North Korea has continued
supplying uniforms since 2022 or if the new decree will affect trade between
the two nations.
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