Postal loopholes let banned goods slip through
An investigation by German newspaper Bild reveals that Russia has been using a logistics hub in Berlin to bypass EU sanctions, sending prohibited goods to Moscow through international mail channels that face lighter scrutiny. Test shipments equipped with GPS trackers reportedly moved through a warehouse near Berlin Brandenburg Airport without interruption, then traveled through Poland and Belarus before reaching Russia.
The operation allegedly relies on shipping labels from Uzbekistan’s state postal service, which is not authorized to operate in Germany. Because international mail is processed quickly in large volumes, it faces fewer customs checks than standard commercial exports. The system is believed to be run by Dimitri V., former managing director of RusPost GmbH, the German branch of Russia’s state postal service Pochta Rossii. German customs investigated the company in August 2024 for sanctions violations but found no actionable evidence.
Kyiv pushes for stronger enforcement
Ukraine’s presidential envoy for sanctions policy, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, expressed little surprise at the findings. “Nobody is doing enough, if you look at the number of cases,” he said. Vlasiuk stressed that Ukraine tracks such schemes closely and shares intelligence with international partners.
While touring countries like the Netherlands and Belgium, Vlasiuk called for stricter enforcement of financial sanctions, tighter controls to prevent Western components from reaching Russia, and stronger measures against Russia’s shadow fleet. He noted that many of Russia’s Shahed drone attacks—over 50,000 in total—have relied on Western-made components, and alternative payment methods like cryptocurrencies are enabling sanctions circumvention.
Shadow fleet continues to defy sanctions
Russia’s shadow fleet, central to the sanctions-evasion debate, uses aging, often poorly insured tankers registered under changing or unclear flags of convenience. Despite EU sanctions on over 600 vessels, about 70% remain active, transporting oil for Russia, according to Vlasiuk.
France recently seized the tanker Grinch in the western Mediterranean for suspected false-flag activity, while Germany and 13 other EU nations issued a joint statement warning that ships in the Baltic and North Sea using multiple or false flags will be treated as stateless. Only vessels with valid documents, proper communication, and compliance with safety and maritime laws will be allowed. The declaration, however, did not clarify how these rules will be enforced or what penalties violators might face.
