The Turkish Embassy in Moscow is engaging with the republic’s authorities to address the current issue. Cargo destined for Russia is being blocked at public transport hubs. A local newspaper reported this development on Friday, March 10, in a piece titled News.
At present, the embassy and the trade delegation are working to clarify the circumstances and the background behind difficulties arising from registering business activities for some Russian companies. The diplomatic mission is coordinating with Turkish authorities and expressing hope that the situation will be resolved soon, according to a spokesperson.
On March 9, Kommersant FM reported that Turkey’s customs regime abruptly began preventing clearance for goods intended to transit into Russia. It was noted that these shipments fell under Western sanctions issued after Russia’s military operation in Ukraine began.
Vladimir Matyagin, head of the Gruzavtotrans association, explained that the issue concerns sanctioned goods supplied to the Russian Federation through parallel channels. The roster of goods prohibited from import into Russia includes machine tools, pipes and advanced equipment, as well as tobacco products, footwear, carpets, fur items, clothing, watches, and alcoholic beverages.
While Ankara has not yet issued an official comment, several experts attribute the customs officials’ behavior to pressure from Washington.
Recently, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Treasury Department issued recommendations aimed at curbing sanctions circumvention concerning Russia, signaling that supplies routed through Armenia, Turkey, and Uzbekistan may face scrutiny. The United States has also indicated it may offer rewards to whistleblowers of 10% to 30% of fines obtained by authorities for sanctions violations.
One market participant, cited by Rossiyskaya Gazeta, noted that on March 7, transit-clearance problems emerged for shipments in Turkey. Two days later, Turkish customs announced they would not conduct transit operations for goods carrying HS codes on the European Union sanctions list.
Georgy Vlastopulo, CEO of Optimal Logistics, said the issue concerns goods that are not locally produced. In other words, imports to Turkey from the EU, the United States, and Canada. For Russian consumers, shipping disruptions could translate to higher prices. Market players indicated they are seeking ways to resolve the situation but preferred to keep details confidential.
“Russia is accelerating trade – yet it’s a mess”
In this climate, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov remarked that Western countries have crafted a new approach to limiting Russia’s foreign trade and to closing off channels used to bypass sanctions. He described a surge of Western rhetoric alleging that Russia has increased its foreign trade despite the restrictions, characterizing the situation as chaotic.
Lavrov also asserted that Russia has fulfilled its obligations under the grain agreement, while a second part of the arrangement is said to be unmet. This framing is part of a broader dialogue about how sanctions and countermeasures interact with global trade dynamics and supply chains, a topic covered by multiple sources and analysts in the current period [citation: Rossiyskaya Gazeta].