Sanctions do not work. Russia has found a way to bypass them
In response to full-scale aggression on Ukraine, the European Union has imposed several sets of sanctions on Russia. However, these are not working well, as the statistics show. Necessary goods still reach Russia as they did before. Only the routes of their shipment and intermediaries have changed.
3:38 PM EDT, October 9, 2023
After the Russian attack, the European Union imposed sanctions that were supposed to cover almost every branch of the economy governed by Vladimir Putin. However, this did not happen as demonstrated by the analysis from Allianz Research, referenced by the portal wiadomoscihandlowe.pl. It shows that goods from the EU continue to reach Russia, but by a roundabout route - through Turkey, Kazakhstan, or Kyrgyzstan.
Sanctions aren't working. Russia is still importing as ever
After the imposition of sanctions by EU countries, a real decline in exports to Russia itself can indeed be noticed. Allianz Trade emphasizes that in the first half of 2023, the shipment of goods to the Russian Federation dropped by 52 percent compared to the first half of 2019. However, there is concern about the gigantic increases to countries that, along with Russia, form the Eurasian Economic Union - reports the portal wiadomoscihandlowe.pl.
The data shows that during the mentioned period, exports from the EU to Turkey increased by an average of 58.1 percent. We can see even larger increases in the case of goods shipped to Asian countries. The value of the Union's exports to Kazakhstan increased by 100 percent, to Kyrgyzstan - by 800 percent, to Tajikistan - by 151 percent, to Turkmenistan - by 78.5 percent, and to Uzbekistan - by 66.6 percent.
In addition, trade between these countries has also increased. This may indicate that such is now the route of goods from Europe to Russia. For example, exports from Central Asian countries to the Russian Federation have increased by 53.8 percent. - reports the portal.
Poland has also increased its export of goods to Turkey and Central Asian countries. Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, exports to Russia have fallen by 44 percent. At the same time, our country has exported 137 percent more goods to Turkey, and to Central Asia - an increase of 251 percent.
Wood from Russia is flooding Poland
Although sanctions were imposed on Belarus and Russia, information from the KAS indicates that wood from the East is flowing into Europe from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. European data indicate this. They show that in 2022 there was an increase in wood imports from Kazakhstan of 9926.8 percent compared to the previous year. In addition, as estimated by the European Commission, the value of the wood sent amounts to 39 million euros (approximately $44 million).
Even bigger growth in timber imports to the EU was noted from Kyrgyzstan. According to the data, in 2022 the value of timber imported from this country amounted to 14 million euros and this is an increase of 1,104,157 percent compared to the previous year.
