russia is using the Maldives to circumvent sanctions

The Wall Street Journal reports this, citing Western officials and documents obtained by the publication.

According to the WSJ, goods from the US, Europe and China are delivered to Velana International Airport in Malé, the capital of the Maldives.

There, local intermediaries working with logistics companies linked to russia help to clear the shipments. They are then loaded onto Aeroflot aircraft bound for Moscow.

Journalists have examined air waybills, cargo manifests and email correspondence between logistics companies.

According to the publication, the goods being shipped to russia in this way include: microchips that can be used in civilian equipment and missile guidance systems; optical devices for surveillance and tracking; and high-strength aircraft rivets and bolts suitable for use in passenger aircraft, fighter jets and missiles.

Some of these products, once delivered to russia, may end up with companies subject to sanctions. Among them, the WSJ names S7 Airlines and its associated maintenance organisations.

Access to such channels is crucial for russian airlines due to restrictions on the supply of Western spare parts.

According to the US company ImportGenius, russian imports from the Maldives rose sharply following the start of the full-scale invasion. Whilst they stood at around $7 million in 2021, they exceeded $630 million in 2022.

At the same time, the Maldives remain a significantly smaller supply channel compared with the main routes used to circumvent sanctions. According to the WSJ, China, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates together account for around $15 billion of such imports to russia each year.

The publication notes that russia’s use of the Maldives demonstrates its search for new routes to access goods whose export to russia is restricted by Western sanctions. Previously, the Maldives had not been publicly identified as such a channel for circumventing sanctions.

The Maldivian government and the Maldives Airports Company, which operates Velana Airport, did not respond to requests for comment from the WSJ.

Source: The Wall Street Journal, Forbes