Event 490

{
  "border_violation_countries": [
    "Latvia",
    "Estonia",
    "Lithuania",
    "Finland",
    "Poland",
    "Bulgaria",
    "Greece",
    "Germany",
    "FI-EE-LV-LT-PL"
  ],
  "border_violation_modes": [
    "Land"
  ],
  "category": "Sanctions",
  "confidence": "Low",
  "confidence_rationale": "Evidence is supported by a detailed social media report, a screenshot with visible legislative and practical impacts across several named EU/Baltic countries, and named government actions.",
  "continuous_since": "2024-02-15T12:00:00Z",
  "continuous_summary": "Ongoing issue since at least February 2024 as regulations and enforcement take effect in various EU states.",
  "countries": [
    "Latvia",
    "Estonia",
    "Lithuania",
    "Finland",
    "Poland",
    "Bulgaria",
    "Greece",
    "Germany",
    "European Union"
  ],
  "country": "Latvia",
  "defense_prep": {},
  "description": "Russians are reportedly altering their vehicle license plates from Russian to Ukrainian to circumvent confiscation and sanctions in EU countries. Services for manufacturing Ukrainian license plates are offered cheaply in Russia. Several Baltic and EU states have instituted bans or confiscation policies regarding Russian-plated vehicles.",
  "event_time_utc": "2024-08-01T12:00:00Z",
  "evidence": [
    "Screenshot showing an advertisement for fake Ukrainian license plates in Russian and a detailed breakdown of legislative and enforcement actions across multiple EU and Baltic countries targeting Russian-plated vehicles."
  ],
  "evidence_quotes": [
    "Russians have started to massively change their license plates from Russian to Ukrainian ones to circumvent sanctions or to avoid having their cars confiscated.",
    "Latvian authorities have started to confiscate vehicles with Russian license plates, in order to transfer them to Ukraine.",
    "The following countries have banned cars with Russian license plates from entering the European Union: Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Bulgaria, Greece.",
    "Countries that will confiscate (or fine with deportation) cars with Russian license plates that were imported into Europe before the ban: Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Germany.",
    "In Russian cities, services for making duplicates of Ukrainian license plates are offered en masse and cheaply...offering to make Ukrainian license plates for about $30."
  ],
  "extra": {
    "category_raw": "License Plates Deception",
    "extra": {
      "extra": {
        "extra": {
          "evidence": [
            "Screenshot showing an advertisement for fake Ukrainian license plates in Russian and a detailed breakdown of legislative and enforcement actions across multiple EU and Baltic countries targeting Russian-plated vehicles."
          ]
        }
      }
    }
  },
  "follow_up_by_country": [
    {
      "country": "Latvia",
      "notes": "Latvian authorities enforcing ban and confiscation.",
      "status": "Official Statement"
    }
  ],
  "headline": "Russians changing Russian license plates to Ukrainian to evade confiscation in Europe; Latvian authorities and others ban Russian plates",
  "is_continuous": true,
  "location_text": "Latvia, Baltic States, European Union",
  "media_assets": [
    {
      "description": "Screenshot capture",
      "type": "screenshot",
      "url": "/media/event_490_1763928632_23e7a871.jpg"
    }
  ],
  "notes": "Fake UA plates (??RU ??BY deception) used to enter borders",
  "schema_version": "v1",
  "screenshot_count": 1,
  "sources": [
    "https://x.com/Gerashchenko_en/status/1818646314508226740"
  ],
  "summary_short": "Russians are changing Russian to Ukrainian license plates to avoid vehicle confiscation as multiple EU countries, especially Latvia and Baltic states, ban or seize Russian-plated vehicles.",
  "url": "https://x.com/Gerashchenko_en/status/1818646314508226740"
}

{
  "5th Column of Russians Inside (which countries)": "",
  "Attack Type": "License Plates deception",
  "Borders Including Sea, Air,  Violation or Sabotage (which countries)": "FI-EE-LV-LT-PL",
  "Continuous? (e.g. Jammers)": "",
  "Country (FI;EE;LV;LT;PL;BSR;Air)\nSeparated by Semicolon": "FI;EE;LV;LT;PL;Europe",
  "Date": "1-Aug-24",
  "Defense Prep Event (FI-EE-LV-LT-PL)": "",
  "Defense Prep Event (FI-EE-LV-LT-PL) REF LINK": "",
  "Follow-Up Link?  (FI,EE,LV,LT,PL, BSR, Air)": "",
  "Follow-Up NOTES": "",
  "Follow-Up incl. Investigation, Prosecution?  (FI,EE,LV,LT,PL, BSR, Air)": "",
  "Latitude, Longitude (WGS84, Decimal Degrees)": "",
  "NOTES": "Fake UA plates (??RU ??BY deception) used to enter borders",
  "Political Disruptions w/ Laws to Favor Kremlin (which countries)": "",
  "Russian-Belarus Terrorist Event (FI-EE-LV-LT-PL)": "Fake UA plates (??RU ??BY deception) used to enter borders",
  "Russian-Belarus Terrorist Event (FI-EE-LV-LT-PL) REF LINK": "https://x.com/Gerashchenko_en/status/1818646314508226740",
  "Screen Snapshot": "",
  "Screen Snapshots": "",
  "Type Dropdown": "",
  "Where?\n(Air, Land, Sea)": ""
}