Postal loopholes fuel sanctions evasion
Russian shipments of banned goods are reportedly slipping past European Union sanctions by using a logistics hub near Berlin and international mail routes that face lighter inspection, according to German newspaper Bild.
Test packages containing sanctioned items and equipped with GPS trackers moved through a Berlin Brandenburg Airport warehouse without interruption, then traveled via Poland and Belarus to Moscow. Investigators say the operation uses Uzbekistan postal labels, even though Germany does not authorize that service to operate in the country.
International mail is subject to simpler customs and export procedures than regular commercial shipments, making it easier for prohibited goods to pass through undetected. The operation is believed to be run by Dimitri V., the former managing director of RusPost GmbH, the German branch of Russia’s state postal service Pochta Rossii. German customs raided the company’s Berlin offices in August 2024 but did not pursue charges.
Kyiv presses Europe for tougher action
Ukraine’s presidential envoy for sanctions policy, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, said he was unsurprised by the findings. Speaking from Berlin, he warned that European countries are not doing enough to close loopholes.
“Looking at the number of cases, nobody is doing enough,” Vlasiuk said. He explained that Ukraine tracks these schemes closely and shares intelligence with international partners. Currently touring Europe, including the Netherlands and Belgium, Vlasiuk is pushing for stricter enforcement, with three priorities: tougher financial sanctions, blocking Western components from reaching Russia, and stronger action against the shadow fleet.
Vlasiuk highlighted that many of Russia’s more than 50,000 Shahed drone attacks included Western components, and that alternative payments such as cryptocurrencies make sanctions easier to circumvent. “Strong sanctions send a strong message to Russia,” he said, noting that current measures are not yet sufficient.
Shadow fleet continues to operate
Russia’s shadow fleet remains central to sanctions evasion, transporting oil and commodities using ageing tankers often registered under changing or unclear flags of convenience. Such registrations exploit weak oversight, low fees, and minimal safety or insurance requirements.
Despite EU sanctions on over 600 ships, roughly 70% remain active, according to Vlasiuk. France recently intercepted the tanker Grinch in the western Mediterranean, citing suspicions it sailed under a false flag.
On 26 January, Germany and 13 other EU countries issued a joint statement warning that ships using multiple or false flags in the Baltic and North Sea will be treated as stateless unless they carry valid documents, communicate with authorities, and comply with safety and maritime regulations. The statement did not clarify how enforcement or penalties would be applied.
