At least 1,900 tons of paint from Danish company Flügger, subject to EU sanctions, were transported into Russia between 2022 and 2024 through indirect shipments via Estonia, according to newly uncovered customs data. An elaborate scheme and network was used involving transferring paint between trucks in Estonia and producing export documents stating final destinations like Turkey, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan
Paint From Danish Company Flügger Enters Russia Despite Sanctions
New revelations from Danish broadcaster DR, in collaboration with Estonia’s Delfi Meedia, reveal that more than 1.5 million liters of Flügger paint were transported into Russia in violation of EU sanctions. These sanctions, which were imposed in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, banned the export of materials that could contribute to strengthening Russia’s industrial capacity, including construction materials and paint.
The shipments, totaling around 1,900 tons, were first sent from Flügger’s factory in Kolding, Denmark, and then moved through several European countries toward Estonia. There, in the city of Narva, just one kilometer from the Russian border, the paint was funneled into Russia in over 100 individual truckloads.
A Sophisticated Network of Distribution
The shipments occurred regularly between July 2022 and October 2024, averaging almost one shipment per week. The logistics of the operation involved transferring paint between trucks in Estonia and producing export documents stating final destinations like Turkey, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan. However, Russian customs data confirmed that these shipments were offloaded and customs-cleared in major Russian cities, confirming their actual end location and the payment of tariffs to Russian authorities.
Experts from both legal and economic fields suggest this type of setup reflects patterns seen in other cases of sanctions evasion. These include using transit countries and falsifying final destinations to mask the eventual delivery to sanctioned markets.
Danish Company Flügger Responds to Allegations
Following earlier investigations, Flügger’s corporate headquarters were raided by Danish police in mid-2024, and both CEO Sune Schnack and the company’s CFO were charged in connection with potential sanctions violations. Their private residences were also searched as part of the investigation by Denmark’s National Unit for Special Crime (NSK).
Flügger denies knowingly violating sanctions. In a written statement, the company claimed it was deceived by distributors operating in Kazakhstan, Estonia, Azerbaijan, and Kyrgyzstan who “acted behind our back” by rerouting products to Russia. The company also claimed it severed ties with these distributors upon learning of the issue and reiterated that it exited the Russian market.
Tracing the Route and Legal Implications
The data exposing the illegal transport came from the import intelligence service ImportGenius, granting DR News access to Russian customs records. These records included specific shipping documents used to cross the Estonian-Russian border. Though the destination was listed as countries outside Russia, analysis confirmed that the paint was received, taxed, and distributed within Russian cities.
Professor Nicolaj Sivan Holst of Aarhus University stated that the regularity and professionalism of the shipment pattern indicated a systematic network. The key legal question now is whether Flügger was aware, or should have been aware, that its products were ending up in Russia.
Flügger has offered no clear answers regarding its internal monitoring of the export chain between July 2022 and October 2024. DR has asked the company whether internal auditing or compliance reviews were conducted, but Flügger has not yet responded.
Next Steps in the Investigation of the Danish Company
The case remains under active investigation. If prosecuted and found guilty, the implications for Flügger could be severe, both in terms of legal consequences and damage to reputation. The case also raises broader questions about compliance monitoring within multinational companies related to sanctions enforcement.
So far, Danish authorities are treating the breach seriously due to its scale and the political sensitivity of EU sanctions against Russia. The leadership of Flügger has yet to face formal charges in court, but authorities continue to evaluate whether the company should have instituted stronger controls to ensure its distributors complied with the sanctions regime.
With the export value of the illegally shipped paint potentially reaching into hundreds of millions in Danish kroner, the case is one of the most substantial suspected breaches of EU trade sanctions by a Danish firm to date.
