How banned goods allegedly slipped through Europe
Russia has been exploiting a logistics operation in Berlin to get around EU sanctions, quietly funneling restricted goods to Moscow through international mail, according to an investigation by German newspaper Bild.
Reporters tracked test packages fitted with GPS devices and containing sanctioned items. The parcels reportedly moved without obstruction through a logistics warehouse near Berlin Brandenburg Airport before traveling onward via Poland and Belarus to Russia.
The shipments allegedly used labels from Uzbekistan’s state postal service, despite the fact that Germany’s Federal Network Agency has not authorized that operator to work in the country. Because international mail is subject to lighter checks than standard exports, the packages were processed quickly under simplified customs procedures.
Bild identified the operation as being run by the former head of RusPost GmbH, the German subsidiary of Russia’s state postal service, Pochta Rossii. German customs searched the company’s Berlin offices in August 2024 over suspected sanctions violations, but the investigation 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 insufficient.
“If you look at the number of cases, nobody is doing enough,” Vlasiuk said, adding that Ukraine routinely gathers intelligence on sanctions evasion and shares it with international partners. According to him, the methods uncovered in Berlin follow a well-known pattern.
Currently touring European capitals, including The Hague and Brussels, Vlasiuk is pushing for stronger action. He outlined three main priorities: tighter financial sanctions, stopping Western-made components from reaching Russia, and cracking down on Russia’s so-called shadow fleet.
He warned that Western parts have been found in thousands of Shahed drones used by Russia, while alternative payment systems, including cryptocurrencies, continue to undermine existing restrictions. Although Russia’s economy is under strain, Vlasiuk said the pressure is still not strong enough to change behavior.
The shadow fleet still sailing
Russia’s shadow fleet remains one of the biggest challenges to sanctions enforcement. The fleet relies on aging, poorly insured oil tankers that frequently change flags or sail under unclear registrations to bypass international rules.
Despite EU sanctions on more than 600 vessels, Vlasiuk said roughly 70% of them are still active and transporting Russian oil. He argued that Europe may need to consider physical measures to stop them.
France recently seized the tanker Grinch in the western Mediterranean, suspecting it of sailing under a false flag and breaching sanctions. Meanwhile, Germany and 13 other EU countries issued a joint warning on 26 January about vessels operating in the Baltic and North Sea under multiple or fake flags.
Under the new stance, such ships could be treated as stateless unless they carry valid documentation, properly communicate with authorities, and comply with maritime safety laws. However, the statement stopped short of spelling out how these rules would be enforced or what penalties violators would face.
