How Russia Uses a Holiday Paradise to Evade Sanctions

Behind the Maldives’ white beaches, turquoise waters and secluded luxury resorts, a new business has quietly taken root: a network of companies helping Russia bypass Western sanctions.

Restricted goods, along with items destined for sanctioned Russian companies, reportedly change hands at the airport in Malé. The shipments are worth several hundred million dollars and pass through the South Asian island nation on their way to Russia.

The movement of the goods is documented in records and interviews with Western officials. The activity has developed alongside the Maldives’ role as a destination that attracts millions of tourists each year.

The contrast is stark: behind the postcard image of a holiday paradise, the article describes a channel for moving sanctioned goods toward Russia.