Russia Deploys AI to Speed Up Cargo Checks at the Border
The Kaskad electronic system helps customs officers inspect shipments faster and with greater confidence.
Russia’s Federal Customs Service is preparing to expand the use of its Kaskad electronic inspection system, which identifies goods using X-ray imaging and supports faster cargo checks at border crossings. In 2026, the list of goods the system can recognize is set to grow by another 15 categories.
X-Ray Image Analysis
The plans were outlined by Alexey Timofeev, deputy head of the Federal Customs Service of Russia. According to him, Kaskad has already become an indispensable working tool for analyzing X-ray images and is actively used at border checkpoints.
At present, the system can recognize 243 categories of goods, almost a quarter of the Eurasian Economic Union’s foreign trade commodity classification. These include clothing, footwear, textiles, timber, plants, food products, beverages, tobacco, paper, and cardboard. Separate algorithms are trained to detect weapons, narcotics, and explosives. Expanding the list will allow more routine inspections to be automated and significantly reduce inspection times.
Comparing Shape and Structure
Kaskad operates by analyzing images produced by inspection and scanning complexes. Its algorithms compare the shape, density, and structure of objects in X-ray images with reference samples used during machine learning. Based on this comparison, the system suggests to the inspector what is likely inside the package. Routine sorting and initial analysis are handled by the system, while the final decision always remains with a human officer.
At the same time, the Federal Customs Service, together with the Ministry of Transport, is rolling out a new operational model for border checkpoints. The approach follows a “single stop” principle for vehicles. In 2025, the model was tested at the Tagirkent–Kazmalyar checkpoint on the border with Azerbaijan, where an electronic queue for trucks, an integrated access system, and modern inspection equipment were deployed.
The changes increased traffic throughput without reducing the level of control.
Similar technologies are already in use abroad. Customs authorities in the European Union and China apply AI-based analysis of X-ray images to speed up container inspections and detect prohibited items. Russia’s approach follows the same logic – reducing routine work and relying more on machine-based analysis.
For businesses and carriers, this means faster border crossings. For customs authorities, it means simpler and more streamlined procedures.
