Sanctions will not affect operations of Mir payment system and other NSPK services - company

MOSCOW. Sept 16 (Interfax) - Sanctions against Vladimir Komlev, general director of the National Payment Card System (NSPK), will not affect the operations of the Mir payment system and other systems that NSPK provides, the company's press service has told Interfax.

"The Mir card, as well as other NSPK services, can continue to be used in Russia without restrictions," NSPK's press service said.

Turkey, Vietnam, South Korea, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, South Ossetia, and Abkhazia currently accept Mir cards. The possibility of accepting Mir cards is under discussion with Iran, Cuba, Egypt, and Venezuela.

The Russian authorities established the NSPK, which operates Mir cards, in 2014 following a number of sanctions being imposed against Russia. The NSPK announced the start to issue the first Mir cards in December 2015.