Up to 50 percent of imported European timber may actually come from Russia, new study says

Despite international sanctions, Belarusian and Russian timber continues to enter the UK market through illicit channels, according to the forest conservation organisation World Forest ID. The findings reveal a significant discrepancy in the declared origins of birch wood imported from Ukraine, Poland, Estonia, and Latvia, with chemical profiling indicating that substantial portions likely originated from Russia or Belarus. Tests conducted on timber samples showed irregularities in 50% of Polish imports, 33% of Ukrainian, 30% of Estonian, and 27% of Latvian shipments. While the study examined a limited sample size, researchers argue that the results expose critical weaknesses in current ...