Finland seeks to introduce licenses for export of ammunition to Russia

"The Council of the EU’s decision of 2014 prohibits the selling, supply, transfer or export of arms and related equipment to Russia. In June 2023, the Council amended the regulation to introduce new measures to prevent circumvention of the sanctions imposed on Russia," the statement reads.

The Ministry of Interior notes that the amendment stipulates that the export ban on ammunition is conditional on the authorization of relevant components in an EU member state.

Within the project, provisions are being prepared to define the export of cartridge components that require licensing.

Finland aims to ensure sanctions compliance

Furthermore, the project explores the necessity of licenses for items comparable to ammunition and formulates the required rules if such licenses are absent within the EU.

The goal is to ensure compliance with the EU's sanctions decision and thus prevent the export of components to Russia. The project's mandate is set to last until December 31, 2024.

Russia finds ways to bypass sanctions

In early January, Zelenskyy stated that Russia has learned to circumvent Western sanctions imposed for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Politico also reported that Russia has largely succeeded in bypassing sanctions in the technology sector, enabling Moscow to produce weapons and continue the war against Ukraine.

A representative of Czech intelligence recently declared that Russian intelligence services remain active in Europe, assisting in evading European Union sanctions, as they did before.