Portuguese authorities are investigating a sharp increase in exports to countries bordering Russia, following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Direct sales from Portugal to Russia have fallen dramatically since EU sanctions were imposed.
However, data from Portugal's National Statistics Institute shows a substantial rise in exports to Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. Kyrgyzstan, in particular, has seen Portuguese exports jump from approximately €200,000 in 2021 to nearly €6 million in 2025, representing the largest growth percentage.
This pattern suggests that Portuguese companies may be indirectly supplying Russia with sanctioned goods through these intermediary nations. These restricted items include microchips, semiconductors, electronic equipment, drones, and industrial components, many of which have military applications. Even products like cork, crucial for Portugal's export market and previously a significant import for Russia's wine industry, have seen a surge in exports to these neighboring countries.
Recent investigations in other EU countries have uncovered similar schemes involving indirect exports of restricted goods, including used vehicles, to Russia via Turkey, Armenia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Portugal's Tax and Customs Authority is now examining these trade pattern shifts for potential sanctions violations.