Journalists reveal how Ukrainian goods get to occupied Crimea

Trade relations between mainland Ukraine and Crimea were severed in 2016.

But this is de jure, while de facto, people are still able to buy Ukrainian goods across the peninsula illegally annexed by Russia in 2014, according to RFE/RL's Krym.Realii project.

After some shopping in Crimea's administrative center of Simferopol, the journalists bought a whole basket of Ukraine-made products.

Spring water, liquor, canned foods, and cosmetics – all this can be easily purchased in Crimea despite it being occupied by Russia.

Read alsoItalian company supplies equipment to occupied Crimea bypassing EU sanctions - media

The journalists found out how products from mainland Ukraine bypass the administrative border with the peninsula.

There are three main ways how Ukrainian goods get to Crimea, according to Krym.Realii. First, it is when goods are shipped from mainland Ukraine to the Russian Federation or other countries of the so-called Customs Union, i.e. according to the documents, one country is noted as a final consumer, while in fact the goods are delivered to another location. Second, Ukrainian companies provide their licenses or franchises to foreign manufacturers who are free to decide to whom they deliver their goods [if no sanctions apply]. The third option is that these could simply be fake products only posing as those made in Ukraine.