Switzerland finds Armenia circumventing anti-Russian sanctions

Since the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war, exports from Switzerland to countries close to Russia have increased significantly, which could be a sign of possible sanctions evasion.

"Soon after the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war, Western countries imposed sanctions against Russia. On February 28, 2022, Switzerland also responded and accepted the EU sanctions. Since then, exports to Russia have been banned, with some exceptions such as medical supplies. However, trade with countries close to Russia, such as Armenia, Kazakhstan or Georgia, is not subject to sanctions," Caliber.Az reports, citing the Swiss broadcasting company SRF.

Circumvention of the rules is suspected, says trade economist Stefan Legge of the University of St. Gallen. Even taking into account that a significant part of exports is made up of unauthorized pharmaceutical products.

“Swiss exports to some countries increased at the very moment when the Russian army invaded Ukraine. In addition, exports from third countries to Russia increased over the same period. From this you can create a chain of evidence,” he says.

Swiss exports to some countries increased just after the Russian army invaded Ukraine. Even if there are no signs yet, such a sudden increase in demand on such a scale is unlikely.

The example of Armenia shows the scale of the increase in exports. Swiss exports to Armenia, including pharmaceutical products, more than tripled in the first year of the war compared to the previous year in 2021. At the same time, exports from Armenia to Russia increased by 198 per cent.

According to Legge, countries close to Russia are better suited for any bypass operations because they are geographically and politically close to Russia: “At the same time, the countries are relatively small, so special shifts or bypass operations in Swiss trade flows with these countries are more noticeable."

In principle, preventing such bypass operations is relatively difficult, Legge says. Trade always finds a way.

However, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco) actively investigates violations of sanctions, investigates suspected cases and punishes violations. All suspicious purchases are investigated and appropriate countermeasures are taken. Violations will be punished consistently.