Russia’s Pension and Social Insurance Fund transferred 15.4 million euros ($17.8 million) to cover pensions for Russian citizens living in Latvia and Estonia during the first eight months of 2025, state media reported on Wednesday.

The fund said 13,300 people in both countries are entitled to the payments under bilateral agreements. It claimed earlier transfers had been blocked by foreign banks due to sanctions.

Estonia’s Social Affairs Ministry, however, has accused Russia of using sanctions as a pretext, saying Moscow has failed to pay its roughly 4,000 pensioners in Estonia since at least February.

Estonian and Latvian media reported Tuesday that Russia sent 2.4 million euros to Tallinn and nearly 13 million euros to Riga in late pension payments. Authorities in both countries said they expect to begin distributing the funds next month.

Russia signed bilateral pension agreements with Estonia and Latvia in 2011.

According to TASS, Latvian and Estonian officials approved the recent transfers earlier in August. Russia’s pension fund has reportedly made similar requests to Lithuania, Israel and Bulgaria.