This is reported by the British newspaper Financial Times and calls the situation "ghost trading".

According to public information, after the large-scale Russian military invasion of Ukraine, goods worth two billion dollars were imported from EU countries to Russia under the transit label.

At the same time, as the publication emphasizes, the real volume of "ghost trade" from the European Union to Russia is much higher.

Recipients of European goods, including dual-use products that are under sanctions and can be used in the military industry, were companies in Armenia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

Russia managed to circumvent the sanctions by specifying false destinations in EU customs declarations, FT writes.

Thus, goods whose export to Russia is prohibited, such as aircraft components, optical equipment and gas turbines, directly entered the country from the EU on the basis that they were in Russian territory only in transit.

"Where else could they go?

Why did these countries suddenly need these goods at this time?

Who in the region needs these goods the most?

Obviously, Russia," says

, Estonia's Minister of Sanctions.

The publication says that a disproportionately large share of such exports goes to Russia from the Baltic countries.

At the same time, a suspiciously sharp increase in the import of certain categories of goods was recorded in countries neighboring Russia that did not support the sanctions.

Presumably, they then went to Russia.

The European Union has repeatedly stated that it will fight against the importation of sanctioned goods to Russia through roundabout ways.

In particular, in May, the EC banned the transit of dual-purpose goods through Russia.

The new, 11th package of sanctions, which is currently being discussed by the EU countries, among other things, provides for the expansion of the list of prohibited goods that enter Russia through third countries.

In addition, the EC plans to create new instruments that will prevent the circumvention of sanctions by third countries.