Uzbekistan halts use of Russia's Mir payment cards (updated)

MedMira

23/09/2022 14:18

(Adds UZCARD comment)
       TASHKENT, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Uzbekistan's UZCARD system
has suspended the processing of payments via Mir cards issued by
Bank of Russia's National Card Payment System (NSPK), the chief
executive of which has been targeted by U.S. sanctions.
    The move by UZCARD was warranted by the need "to carry out
the necessary technical procedures", it said in a statement on
Friday.
    Sobirjon Mahmudov, head of public relations at UZCARD, said
the decision had nothing to do with sanctions.
    "The technical maintenance procedures are being carried out
by our Uzbek partner bank which carries out payments, and it
asked us to halt temporarily the payment processes due to their
maintenance works."
    NSPK Chief Executive Vladimir Komlev declined to comment on
UZCARD's announcement.
    Russia has promoted Mir as an alternative to Visa  V.N  and
MasterCard  MA.N , which shut off their Russian networks after
Moscow sent troops into Ukraine in February.
    The United States last week issued sanctions against NSPK's
Komlev, saying it was seeking to hold the Russian government
accountable for its Feb. 24 invasion and continuing war against
Ukraine.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N30M1OW
    Shortly afterwards, Turkish banks Denizbank and Isbank
suspended the use of Mir.
 (Reporting by Mukhammadsharif Mamatkulov
Writing by Olzhas Auyezov
Editing by David Goodman and Louise Heavens)
 ((olzhas.auyezov@thomsonreuters.com; +7 727 2508 500; Reuters
Messaging: olzhas.auyezov.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))