How sanctions are circumvented – through other countries
Published 2025-09-29 21.51
Despite the sanctions, SKF products are imported into Russia daily, according to customs data Aftonbladet has reviewed.
But production does not take place in shady Russian-friendly countries – but mostly in Sweden and Germany.
– If you send things that go into the Russian war machine that then leads to people dying in Ukraine, you have an incredibly large moral and ethical responsibility, says Torbjörn Becker, head of the Eastern Economic Institute (SITE).
Quick version
The vast majority of SKF's products may not be exported to Russia.
Nevertheless, the massive trade, which is crucial to maintaining the progress of the Russian war machine, continues.
In 2024, Russia still imported SKF goods worth almost SEK 160 million, according to import statistics reviewed by Aftonbladet in collaboration with the Norwegian risk analysis company Corisk.
The country of origin of the goods is also visible there, an unflattering Swedish reading.
Torbjörn Becker, head of the Eastern Economic Institute at the Stockholm School of Economics.
Torbjörn Becker, head of the Eastern Economic Institute at the Stockholm School of Economics. Photo: Lars Schröder/TT
“Difficult to prove”
The majority is produced in Sweden, closely followed by Germany – both countries have manufactured SKF products worth just under 30 million that ended up in Russia last year.
– It is a violation of sanctions if you knowingly sell a product to, for example, Turkey and you know that the Turkish company will send it on to Russia. But what has been the challenge is that it has been difficult for a prosecutor to prove that a company knew that the Turkish company intended to sell it on, says Torbjörn Becker, head of the Eastern Economic Institute (SITE) at the Stockholm School of Economics.
China comes in third place with products worth just under 25 million.
By looking at the goods declarations of the various individual imports, a clear picture emerges. From Sweden, many SKF products go to Turkey, where they are in turn exported to Russia.
“Via third countries”
SKF products manufactured in Germany, France and Italy also often stop over in Turkey before they end up in Russia.
– The usual way is that the goods are sent to Russia via, for example, exports to Turkey, China or Hong Kong, and then they are re-exported more or less directly to Russian importers. It is a kind of shadow trade that goes via third countries, says Erlend Bjørtvedt, CEO of Corisk.
Through data from the Russian customs database, it is possible to obtain detailed information about what the trade looks like. In documents that Aftonbladet has seen, it is possible to read, for example, exactly which goods were imported, where they were manufactured, which company sent them, who the recipient is and how much they cost.
– One way for SKF to detect this trade is if they see an abnormally large export to Turkey, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan or the type of countries that often act as intermediaries for shadow trade, says Erlend Bjørtvedt.
Requires tougher penalties
SKF products manufactured in China are also often exported to Russia without third-party countries, according to the customs database.
This summer, a new law on international sanctions came into effect, where an EU directive has required tougher penalties for violations of international sanctions.
– We will see if this leads to more prosecutions. Does it lead to companies changing their behavior? Hopefully, says Torbjörn Becker at the School of Economics.
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