Lithuania warned that Russia is finding sneaky ways to get around strict sanctions placed by the European Union. According to recent reports, Russia is using a legal loophole that allows certain goods to be exported for medical purposes—even if those items can be used for military needs. This means some goods meant to be blocked from entering Russia are still getting through by pretending to be for healthcare.
The rules in the EU currently allow automatic exemptions for medical goods. This means that if someone says they are sending equipment for medical use, the shipment is often allowed without a deeper investigation right away. Later, customs officials can check if it was really for medical purposes. But by then, the goods might already be in Russia and possibly used for making weapons or other military tools.
This is exactly what is happening, as highlighted by Lithuanian customs officials. In 2024 alone, Lithuania stopped nearly 29,000 shipments that were supposedly for medical use but raised serious red flags. These shipments were trying to go to Russia and Belarus, two countries under heavy EU sanctions.
Everyday Items with Hidden Military Uses
What makes this situation tricky is that the goods being sent are not obviously dangerous. They include parts for cars, refrigerators, copying machines, and small electronic devices. These items don’t sound harmful, but they can be used to make weapons, fix military vehicles, or build equipment for the battlefield.
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Some of these products contain what’s called “dual-use technology.” That means they can be used for normal everyday things, like cooling medicine in a fridge, but they can also be used for making or supporting military tools. When these goods are sent to Russia under the excuse of helping hospitals, it becomes very difficult to stop them—even if they’re actually helping Russia’s military.
This trick allows Russia to keep collecting the technology and materials it needs, even while under heavy international pressure. And since these goods are being labeled as “medical,” customs officers can’t stop them immediately. They have to look into it later, which often gives the shipment enough time to go unnoticed.
Lithuania’s Call for Stronger Checks
Lithuania, a country that shares a border with both Belarus and Russia’s Kaliningrad region, is taking the issue very seriously. Lithuanian officials are urging the EU to change the rules. They want exporters to be required to ask for permission before sending out medical shipments, instead of getting an automatic green light.
One Lithuanian official compared the current rules to “closing a door but leaving a keyhole.” In simple words, while the EU is trying to block dangerous exports to Russia, the automatic medical exemptions are giving Russia a small opening to sneak things through.
This loophole is becoming more dangerous because Russia is changing its economy to focus on war. The country is working hard to get materials and technologies from the West to build weapons and equipment. As this shift continues, Russia’s efforts to get around sanctions are becoming more creative—and more desperate.
Customs officers in Lithuania are working hard to catch suspicious shipments, but it’s not easy when the rules are so relaxed for anything marked as “medical.” This is why Lithuania is asking for a change—so the EU can shut down this backdoor and make sure that no goods are wrongly slipping through.
For now, the facts show that the medical exemption system is being misused. It allows Russia to get its hands on parts and technology that might be used in its military. Lithuania is sounding the alarm, warning other EU countries that stronger checks are urgently needed to stop this from continuing.