OREANDA-NEWS  The Finnish government intends to tighten exports of medical products to Russia that can be used in the armed forces, the Yle broadcaster reported on Tuesday.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is currently preparing a decree aimed at suspending the granting of exemptions for the export of medical and pharmaceutical products from Finland to Russia," the statement said.

The products are subject to EU sanctions, but their export to Russia is currently still possible on the basis of special preferential permits from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"However, it became known that medical and pharmaceutical products could enter Russia for military use, and that is why we made this decision at the national level," says Elina Rimpi, director of the sanctions department at the Foreign Ministry.

The solution covers a wide range of medical and pharmaceutical products and technologies. In the future, for example, the export of dental equipment to Russia will be prohibited, Yle notes.

It will still be possible to apply for export for so-called humanitarian reasons if the conditions of the EU Sanctions Regulation are met.

The decree is expected to come into force in July.