Russia imports collapse: Baden-Württemberg under pressure!

Russia imports collapse: Baden-Württemberg under pressure!

Baden-Württemberg, Deutschland - Trade with Russia has become very important for Baden-Württemberg in recent years. This is clearly shown in the numbers: While in 2021 imports from Russia were still a proud 1.9 billion euros, they only climbed 100 million euros in 2022. The reason for this are the war of aggression against Ukraine and the drastic EU sanctions, which were subsequently imposed. Stuttgarter news difficult location that affects the companies in the region.

A particularly hard setback hit the exports to Russia: these dropped from EUR 3.8 billion in 2021 to just 800 million euros in 2024. After the outbreak of war, Russia had played an important role as an energy supplier for Germany until the second half of 2022, but from which the economy must now be weaned.

sanctions and their consequences

On May 20, 2025, the EU's 17th sanction package was published, which includes additional measures against Russia. The focus is on measures against the so-called shadow fleet-a group of 189 ships that is sanctioned because of the transport of oil and oil products Germany Trade & Invest . From now on, these ships are not allowed to start EU ports and do not use EU services.

In addition, there are far-reaching export and service bans, which in particular extend to dual -use goods. Electronic components, semiconductors, navigation systems and technologies for drones are just a few examples. There are also restrictions on the export of aviation technology and machines for gun production. The goal is clear: to prevent Russia on access to militarily usable technologies and to further reduce the income from energy exports.

A look at the geopolitical developments

According to Deutschlandfunk, the sanctions are part of a comprehensive strategy to put President Putin under pressure. Signs indicate that despite the embargo that the EU imposed on the import of coal and oil, Russia continues to generate income through detours, for example through a flourishing oil trade with China and India. This often happens under the guise of scrap stripes of oil tankers that illegally make their transport to Europe easier. Deutschlandfunk points out that the import of liquid gas (LNG) is also not stopped by 2027, which Russia brings numerous income.

But the effects of the sanctions are not only shown in the commercial figures. In Russia itself, increasing inflation and a stagnating economy give rise to concern. While inflation was 9.9 percent in January 2025, economic recovery is considered unlikely. Russian society is increasingly suffering from the consequences of militarization, which leads to cuts in social areas such as education and health. In the end, the question remains: How far do the sanctions have to be reinforced in order to achieve the desired effect? ​​

With the assembled measures, including a future 18th sanction package, the pressure on the Russian economy could continue to increase. Trading with Russia, once a cornerstone of the Baden-Württemberg economy, will probably remain a difficult chapter for a long time.