The Maldives became a secret route for Russia to evade sanctions

Behind the Maldives’ image of beaches and luxury, a less visible operation has taken shape. A Wall Street Journal investigation found that hundreds of millions of dollars in restricted goods travel through Malé airport before continuing to Moscow.

The shipments reportedly include aircraft parts, electronic components and dual-use products that can serve civilian or military purposes. Microchips suitable for civilian equipment or missile guidance systems, satellite optical instruments and high-strength aerospace parts appear among the goods identified by the investigation.

The route relies on daily Aeroflot flights. Cargo from the United States, Europe and China arrives in the Maldives and soon departs for Moscow aboard the Russian airline. Companies identified in the investigation include Freight Care and Go Investment.

When cargo reaches Malé, its air waybill lists the original seller and the declared buyer. New documents are then issued for the journey to Moscow without naming the original seller. Because the goods remain inside the airport, they are not formally recorded as imports into the Maldives and face limited controls, according to the investigation.

Trade data cited by the Wall Street Journal show a sharp anomaly. Russian imports declared from the Maldives increased from less than $7 million in 2021 to more than $630 million in 2022. They stood at about $160 million in 2024, even though the Maldives has a very small industrial base.

Washington had already identified part of the network. In May 2023, the U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security suspended the export privileges of Intermodal Maldives over its role in diverting civilian aircraft parts to Russia. The official case found that the company received about 212 U.S. shipments between May and October 2022, mostly apparent aircraft parts. In December 2023, the Treasury Department added Intermodal Maldives to its sanctions list, saying the company had sent aircraft spare parts to Russia.