INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
A Russian drone manufacturer announced this week it would open a production line in Uzbekistan, as one local official said Thursday the
drones were designed for "agricultural" purposes only.Flyseeagro, a Russian firm which says it makes drones for crop spraying, said this
week it had signed an agreement to build drones in Uzbekistan's Navoi free economic zone."These drones are designed for agriculture," the
are completely different," he said.Flyseeagro said it would spend $80 million on the investment over a five-year period, allowing it to
export to Russia and other foreign markets, it said.Russia has used drones extensively in its full-scale military offensive in Ukraine,
ramping up production as it seeks to hold back a Ukrainian counteroffensive.Central Asian nation Uzbekistan has refused to endorse Russia's
invasion, but it still maintains close economic and political ties with its former Soviet ally.The U.S
Treasury announced Thursday it was imposing sanctions on 13 companies helping to develop military drones used in Ukraine, including one
