How banned goods slip through the EU
Russia has been routing sanctioned goods to Moscow through a logistics operation based in Berlin, taking advantage of looser checks on international mail, according to an investigation by German tabloid Bild.
The report describes test packages fitted with GPS trackers and filled with prohibited items moving unhindered through a logistics facility near Berlin Brandenburg Airport. From there, the parcels were sent on via Poland and Belarus before reaching Russia.
According to the investigation, the shipments used labels from Uzbekistan’s state postal service, despite the fact that Germany’s Federal Network Agency has not authorised that service to operate in the country. International mail typically faces lighter scrutiny than standard exports, as postal traffic is processed quickly and in large volumes under simplified customs rules.
The operation is reportedly run by the former head of RusPost GmbH, the German arm of Russia’s state postal service, identified by Bild as Dimitri V. German customs searched the company’s Berlin offices in August 2024 on suspicion of sanctions violations, but the probe did not lead to charges.
Ukraine calls for tougher enforcement
Ukraine’s presidential envoy for sanctions policy, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, said the findings came as no surprise. Speaking to Euronews in Berlin, he argued that enforcement across Europe remains too weak.
“Nobody is doing enough, if you look at the number of cases,” Vlasiuk said, adding that Ukraine regularly gathers intelligence on sanctions evasion and shares it with partners. He described these kinds of workarounds as well known to Ukrainian authorities.
Vlasiuk is currently visiting several EU countries, including the Netherlands and Belgium, to push for stricter enforcement. At a press conference at the Ukrainian embassy, he outlined three priorities: tighter financial sanctions, stopping Western components from reaching Russia, and stronger action against Russia’s so-called shadow fleet.
He said Western-made parts have been found in many of the more than 50,000 Shahed drone attacks carried out by Russia, and warned that alternative payment methods such as cryptocurrencies are helping actors bypass existing bans. While Russia’s economy is under strain, Vlasiuk argued that sanctions pressure still isn’t strong enough.
Shadow fleet still moving Russian oil
Russia’s shadow fleet has become a focal point in the debate over sanctions evasion. Moscow continues to move oil and other commodities using ageing tankers that are often poorly insured and registered under shifting or unclear flags of convenience.
Despite EU sanctions on more than 600 vessels, around 70% of them remain active, according to Vlasiuk. He said the bloc must consider physical measures to stop these ships.
France took action last week by intercepting and seizing the tanker Grinch in the western Mediterranean, citing suspicions that it was sailing under a false flag and breaching sanctions.
On 26 January, Germany and 13 other EU countries issued a joint warning about ships operating in the Baltic and North Sea under multiple or false flags. They said such vessels would be treated as stateless in future unless they carry valid documents, communicate properly with authorities and comply with maritime safety rules.
The declaration signalled a tougher stance, though it did not spell out exactly how the measures would be enforced or what penalties would apply.
