Sheremetyevo under EU sanctions: what this means for business and operations

On 23 July 2026, as part of its 21st sanctions package, the European Union added Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport to the list of entities subject to a transaction ban for European companies.

Which major companies within Sheremetyevo Group will be subject to the restrictions?

The restrictions cover not only passenger infrastructure but also the airport’s important cargo complex, including Sheremetyevo Cargo Terminal, which plays a key role in the handling of international air cargo. This means that European companies are prohibited from participating, either directly or indirectly, in operations involving this facility; in particular, they are prohibited from providing services, supplying equipment, making payments for terminal services and participating in the modernisation of facilities.

The sanctions have a particular impact on the airport’s subsidiaries and associated companies, including those responsible for the operation of the cargo terminal. If a subsidiary is responsible for operating Sheremetyevo Cargo, provides warehousing facilities or manages logistics services, its activities are also subject to the restrictions: European counterparties are obliged to cease cooperation or justify the existence of exemptions. Moreover, even indirect involvement (for example, through the shared use of IT platforms, equipment or service providers from the EU) may be interpreted as a breach of the sanctions regime, forcing companies to carry out in-depth checks on their supply chains and subcontractors.

What practical challenges might European businesses face in terms of logistics or transport?

For European businesses, the implications are likely to be primarily related to compliance and logistics. Companies involved in international freight transport are being forced to review their routes and cargo handling procedures: whereas previously a transit or final delivery point would have involved handling at Sheremetyevo Cargo, such operations may now be blocked by banks, freight forwarders or carriers based in the EU. There is a significantly increased risk of payments being refused for storage, transshipment and customs clearance of cargo, as well as the suspension of service contracts – ranging from maintenance of loading equipment to IT support for cargo flow accounting systems.

How might the sanctions affect passenger air services between the EU and the Russian Federation?

Direct passenger air services between Russia and the EU were suspended long before these measures were introduced, but the cargo sector had, until recently, maintained separate channels of cooperation, including for a number of categories of goods covered by exemptions (humanitarian aid, foodstuffs, medical supplies).

Are there any exemptions allowing continued operations at the airport?

EU regulations formally retain such exemptions for emergency and humanitarian operations, trade in foodstuffs and fertilisers, the transport of certain types of raw materials, and the safeguarding of civil nuclear facilities.

However, in practice, implementing these via Sheremetyevo Cargo may be complicated by banking compliance issues and the refusal of European operators to engage in any transactions involving a sanctioned entity.