Russia is expanding its tools to bypass sanctions by routing part of its international transactions through crypto payment channels via African countries.
The Center for Countering Disinformation under Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council reported this on Facebook.
Moscow is promoting the A7 platform in Nigeria and Zimbabwe as an alternative mechanism for external payments. This involves transactions through stablecoins and debt instruments, which are harder to trace and block compared to traditional transactions, the Center explained.
“Importantly, A7 is linked to the sanctioned Promsvyazbank and to Moldovan politician Ilan Shor, who is connected to Russia. This suggests that the platform could be used not only for easier payments but also to bypass sanctions and move some financial operations out of oversight,” the Center noted.
After being disconnected from SWIFT and facing stricter U.S. sanctions, Russia is systematically seeking ways to reduce dependence on banks and financial routes under Western control. Africa has become a key direction due to the rapid growth of crypto payments, demand for low-cost international transfers, and weaker regulation of cross-border financial operations.
“The sanctions system faces a new challenge: financial technologies allow circumvention of traditional control mechanisms. It is therefore important to strengthen oversight of such tools to ensure that economic pressure on Russia remains effective,” the Center emphasized.
