The Yearbook of the Prosecutor’s Office in Estonia has published details on its enforcement of sanctions to date.
I thank Siiri Grabbi of the Coop Pank in Tallinn for the reference.
The Yearbook states that eight criminal convictions have been obtained with one also appealed. It does not provide details of the offending or the sentences imposed.
The Yearbook further notes that the Prosecutor’s office currently has more than 100 active criminal cases.
It is being reported that the Estonian Prosecutor’s office has successfully completed the extradition of suspect Ivan Anchevsky, after he was arrested in Italy.
The prosecution of Anchevsky for suspected exports to Russian in breach of EU sanctions, forms part of a wider investigation including two unnamed Estonian companies and their boards of directors.
Anchesvsky, who is a citizen of both Estonia and Russia, is suspected of using his companies Melytec and Melytec Testing to export sanctions goods to Russia.
It has been reported that during 2024 Estonia’s Internal Security Service commenced 71 criminal cases in relation to suspected trade with Russia in breach of the EU’s sanctions, and has commenced another 12 already during 2025. These cases are said to be for the more serious, intentional or repeat offenders.
The same report note that Estonia’s Police and Border Guard Board are currently identifying an average of 12 sanctions violations per day predominantly by individuals attempted to take cash or luxury goods into Russia. This is reported to be down from a previous average of 22 violations per day.
With all people crossing the border being subject to inspection, first time offenders are required to either turn back and not cross, or to accept confiscation of the goods/items and continue the journey.
Lithuania’s State Security Department has issued a press release detailing raids and arrests carried out on 14 January of this year involving ten suspects.
The investigation was said to have been a collaborative effort also involving Estonia and Latvia.
The principal suspect is a Russian national who is alleged to have orchestrated the supply of high-tech equipment manufactured in Lithuania to Russian customers related to the Russian defence and security industry. He remains in custody. The other suspects have been released subject to conditions.
A pre-trial investigation has been commenced by the Vilnius Regional Prosecutor’s Office in relation to the suspects.
It is being reported that the Estonian authorities have arrested and detained a 65-year old named only as Tatjana, for allegedly managing and handling funds on behalf of the Foundation for the Support and Protection of the Rights of Russian Compatriots Living Abroad, which is a designated person under the EU’s sanctions.
It is alleged that Tatjana received €50,000 from the Foundation and used the money to fund a person’s defence in an ongoing criminal trial in Estonia.
It has been reported that Estonia’s police and border guards have between them conducted over 240 inspections of vessels in waters of Estonia’s economic zone in the last 6 months. Estonia adopted the policy of conducting inspections in June of this year.
The vessels are said to belong to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” and the inspections relate to verifying compliance with requirements such as valid insurance.
Details of confiscations conducted by Estonia’s Customs office have been reported including the confiscation of goods being exported to Russia at border crossings in breach of EU sanctions. The confiscations include €3,275,295 in cash, electronics parts and equipment, a Starlink antenna, drones, night vision goggles, firearms and ammunition, as well as consumer goods such as jewelry, wine, and diving equipment.
It is also being reported that some of the confiscations are now the subject of ongoing investigations.
Further to our earlier post, it is being reported that Estonia’s Office of the Prosecutor General has laid charges against Mati-Dmitri Terestal and Elena Cherysheva on suspicion of breaching the EU’s Russian sanctions.
It is alleged that the defendants received €500,000 funds from a designated person, and made economic resources (in the form of their services) available to a designated person – namely Dmitry Kiselyov, the Director General of Rossiya Segodnya which operated in Estonia as Sputnik.
LHV Pank in Estonia has today issued a press release to say that it intends to challenge a fine of €300,000 imposed on it by the FIU for breaching EU sanctions.
According to the press release the fines were imposed in relation to three incidents (two in 2022 and one in 2023) where the bank is accused of insufficiently rigorous due diligence and of permitting a transaction in breach of sanctions.
The press release does not state which sanctions regime the conduct relates to.
The bank says it takes regulatory compliance seriously and will challenge the fine in court.
It is being reported today that a further journalist, Svetlana Burtseva, associated with the Russian media group Rossiya Segodnya has been arrested on suspicion of breaching EU sanctions.
The journalist was arrested in early March and is currently in detention.
This is a further Estonian example, see our earlier post, of a charge being brought on the basis that under EU sanctions services amount to an “economic resource” and to provide services to a designated person is to breach the asset freeze.
