Russian major imports and exports in 2025 and early 2026
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Quick answer
For readers comparing Russian major imports and exports, the latest full-year customs data show a familiar structure with some important shifts. In 2025, Russia exported $418.3 billion in goods and imported $279.0 billion, resulting in a goods trade surplus of $139.3 billion. Mineral products remained the largest export category at $225.3 billion, or 53.9% of exports. Machinery, equipment, vehicles and related goods remained the largest import category at $135.6 billion, or 48.6% of imports.
Early 2026 data point to a rebound in both exports and imports, but not to a return to pre-2022 trade relationships. For customs and compliance teams, the practical question is not only what Russia trades. It is also where trade has shifted, which intermediaries are involved, and which products may face sanctions, licensing, payment or documentation risk.
The figures below are based on published Russian Federal Customs Service data as reported by Interfax, Rosstat summaries, the Gaidar Institute’s trade monitoring, U.S. Trade Representative reports, European Commission trade material and energy-sector analysis from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Because Russia-related trade is highly restricted in many jurisdictions, the data should be used as a market overview rather than transaction advice.
Russia’s trade balance and the latest data period
Russia continued to run a large merchandise trade surplus in 2025, although the surplus narrowed from the prior year. Federal Customs Service figures published in February 2026 showed goods exports falling 3.7% year over year to $418.3 billion, while imports slipped 1.4% to $279.0 billion. Total goods trade declined 2.8% to $697.3 billion.
The decline was mainly driven by lower export revenue from mineral products. Several non-fuel export groups recovered from earlier lows. Imports were more stable overall, but they remained concentrated in machinery, transport equipment, chemicals, food, textiles and metals.
| Indicator | 2025 value | Year-on-year change |
|---|---|---|
| Goods exports | $418.3 billion | -3.7% |
| Goods imports | $279.0 billion | -1.4% |
| Total goods trade | $697.3 billion | -2.8% |
| Goods trade surplus | $139.3 billion | -8.2% |
Partial 2026 data show a different short-term pattern. In January-July 2026, exports rose to $263.4 billion and imports rose to $174.2 billion, according to Federal Customs Service data reported in September 2026. The seven-month surplus reached $89.2 billion. These figures are useful for trend monitoring, but they should not be treated as full-year totals.
Russia’s major exports
Russia’s export basket is still dominated by resource-based products. Mineral products, including crude oil, petroleum products, natural gas, coal and related fuel categories, remained the base of the country’s export revenue in 2025. Their share fell from 60.9% in 2024 to 53.9% in 2025, reflecting weaker hydrocarbon revenue and stronger growth in some non-fuel categories.
| Export category | 2025 value | Change from 2024 | Approximate share of exports |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mineral products | $225.3 billion | -14.8% | 53.9% |
| Metals and articles thereof | $74.7 billion | +17.4% | 17.9% |
| Food products and agricultural raw materials | $40.9 billion | -4.1% | 9.8% |
| Chemical industry products | $33.6 billion | +21.6% | 8.0% |
| Machinery, equipment, vehicles and other goods | $29.6 billion | +26.6% | 7.1% |
| Wood, pulp and paper articles | $10.6 billion | +4.9% | 2.5% |
Mineral fuels and energy products
Mineral products are Russia’s most important export group by value. The category covers the oil, gas, petroleum product and coal flows that have shaped Russia’s post-2022 trade realignment. U.S. Energy Information Administration analysis indicates that Asia and Oceania became much more important destinations for Russian energy exports after the invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent tightening of Western sanctions. In 2024, Asia and Oceania received large shares of Russia’s coal and crude oil exports, while India and China were central buyers of Russian crude.
Energy trade remains highly compliance-sensitive. Price caps, shipping restrictions, insurance rules, sanctions on companies and vessels, and refinery-origin rules can affect whether a shipment, service or payment is permitted.
Metals, chemicals and agricultural goods
Metals were Russia’s second-largest export group in 2025, rising to $74.7 billion. Chemical products also grew strongly, reaching $33.6 billion. These categories can include routine commercial inputs as well as products that require enhanced screening, depending on grade, specification, end user and destination.
Food products and agricultural raw materials remained significant at $40.9 billion in 2025, although the category declined from 2024. Grain, oilseeds, fish, fertilizers and related agricultural inputs continue to matter in Russia’s trade profile. At the transaction level, however, sanctions treatment, tariff measures and food-security exemptions can vary widely by jurisdiction and product.
Russia’s major imports
Russia’s import structure is almost the reverse of its export structure. The country exports large volumes of resources and imports a high share of manufactured goods, industrial inputs and consumer products. In 2025, machinery, equipment, vehicles and related goods made up nearly half of all imports.
| Import category | 2025 value | Change from 2024 | Approximate share of imports |
|---|---|---|---|
| Machinery, equipment, vehicles and other goods | $135.6 billion | -7.7% | 48.6% |
| Chemical industry products | $55.5 billion | +3.8% | 19.9% |
| Food products and agricultural raw materials | $43.4 billion | +15.0% | 15.6% |
| Textiles, textile articles and footwear | $18.3 billion | +1.1% | 6.6% |
| Metals and articles thereof | $17.7 billion | -1.3% | 6.3% |
Machinery, vehicles and equipment
The largest Russian import category covers a broad group of goods: industrial machinery, electrical equipment, vehicles, parts, transport equipment and other manufactured products. It is also one of the most compliance-sensitive areas because many items can overlap with export-control lists, dual-use regulations, military end-use rules or sectoral sanctions.
The category fell 7.7% in 2025, but it remained by far the biggest import group. The decline likely reflects a combination of sanctions, payment difficulties, logistics costs, import substitution policy, weaker investment demand in some sectors and changes in vehicle-related charges. In the first seven months of 2026, the category increased again: imports of machinery, equipment, vehicles and other goods rose 14.5% year over year to $84.7 billion.
Chemicals, food and textiles
Chemical imports rose to $55.5 billion in 2025. This group includes pharmaceuticals, plastics, industrial chemicals and other inputs used across consumer and industrial supply chains. Food and agricultural imports rose more sharply, reaching $43.4 billion. Textiles, apparel and footwear were smaller but still meaningful at $18.3 billion.
These categories show why sanctions screening cannot rely on sector names alone. Some food and medicine trade may be exempt or treated differently under sanctions regimes. Certain chemicals, electronics, machine tools or components, by contrast, may require strict licensing checks. Classification, origin, end user and end use all matter.
How trade routes and partners have shifted
The most important structural change in Russian trade is geographic. Asian countries accounted for 73.4% of Russia’s total goods trade in 2025, compared with 72.6% in 2024. Europe’s share fell to 18.6% from 19.7%. The Americas accounted for 4.1%, and Africa remained at 3.9%. See also: Freight and Logistics.
| Region | Russian exports to region in 2025 | Russian imports from region in 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Asia | $326.0 billion | $185.9 billion |
| Europe | $57.4 billion | $72.3 billion |
| Africa | $22.7 billion | $4.4 billion |
| Americas | $12.1 billion | $16.3 billion |
China remained Russia’s largest trading partner. The Gaidar Institute estimated that China accounted for about 27% of Russia’s exports and 36% of its imports in 2025. In January-July 2026, China’s role increased further, with estimates of roughly 30% of exports and 40% of imports. This concentration matters because a large share of Russia’s import access now depends on Asian supply chains, payment channels and logistics corridors.
India is especially important on the export side because of energy purchases. Turkey, Kazakhstan, the United Arab Emirates and other regional hubs also matter for particular products and routing patterns. For compliance teams, indirect trade through third countries can raise red flags when goods are sensitive, transaction parties are newly formed, routing is unusual, or the declared end use does not match the product.
Customs and compliance implications
Russia-related trade requires a higher standard of due diligence than ordinary market entry analysis. The fact that a commodity appears in trade data does not mean it is lawful for a particular exporter, importer, bank, insurer, carrier or consignee to handle it. Controls may apply because of the product, origin, destination, end user, vessel, bank, currency flow or ownership structure of a counterparty.
Several practical checks are essential:
- Product classification: Confirm HS codes, export-control classification and whether any dual-use, advanced technology, luxury goods, energy, metals, aviation or defense-related restrictions apply.
- Country rules: Review the exporter’s home-country sanctions, import bans, export licensing rules and anti-circumvention provisions. U.S., EU, UK and allied-country rules can differ in scope and timing.
- End-user screening: Screen buyers, intermediaries, banks, beneficial owners, vessels and logistics providers against current sanctions lists.
- End-use review: Pay special attention to machinery, electronics, chemicals, machine tools, transport equipment and components that could support military or industrial capacity.
- Origin and routing: Check whether goods are being re-exported through third countries in a way that could suggest evasion or misdeclaration.
- Documentation: Keep classification notes, invoices, contracts, transport documents, certificates of origin and end-use statements consistent and auditable.
Russia is also part of the Eurasian Economic Union, which affects tariff schedules, customs valuation rules, technical regulations and some non-tariff measures. However, EAEU customs procedures do not override sanctions or export-control obligations imposed by other jurisdictions. For more trade compliance updates and customs-focused analysis, visit our Customs and Compliance section.
What early 2026 data suggest
January-July 2026 customs data show both exports and imports rising by double digits compared with the same period in 2025. Exports rose 12.4% to $263.4 billion, while imports rose 12.0% to $174.2 billion. Mineral products, metals, food and agricultural goods were the main drivers on the export side. Machinery exports declined, suggesting that the apparent 2025 recovery in that category may not have continued evenly into 2026.
On the import side, machinery, chemicals, food, textiles and mineral products all increased in the first seven months of 2026. Imports from Asia rose 15.0% year over year to $118.8 billion, while imports from Europe rose 7.7% to $43.5 billion. Europe has not disappeared from Russia-related goods trade, but its role is much smaller and more legally constrained than before 2022.
The early 2026 rebound should be interpreted carefully. Commodity prices, exchange rates, sanctions enforcement, oil discounts, shipping capacity, payment restrictions and domestic industrial policy can all affect the annual result. A seven-month increase does not reverse the longer-term shift toward a more concentrated, compliance-heavy trade model.
Frequently asked questions
What are Russia’s biggest exports?
Russia’s biggest exports are mineral products, especially energy-related goods such as oil, petroleum products, gas and coal. In 2025, mineral products accounted for $225.3 billion, or 53.9% of Russian goods exports. Metals, food and agricultural raw materials, chemicals, machinery and wood products were the next major groups.
What are Russia’s biggest imports?
Russia’s biggest imports are machinery, equipment, vehicles and related manufactured goods. In 2025, this category totaled $135.6 billion and represented 48.6% of goods imports. Chemicals, food and agricultural products, textiles and metals were also significant import categories.
Who are Russia’s main trading partners?
Asia is the dominant regional trading partner group. In 2025, Asian countries accounted for 73.4% of Russia’s total goods trade. China was the largest single partner, with Gaidar Institute estimates putting China at about 27% of Russia’s exports and 36% of imports in 2025.
Did sanctions stop Russia’s trade?
No. Sanctions did not stop all Russian trade, but they changed its composition, routing, financing and legal risk. Trade with Europe and the United States declined sharply compared with pre-2022 levels, while trade with Asia became more important. Sensitive goods now require much deeper classification, screening and end-use review.
Can companies use these figures to decide whether a Russia-related shipment is allowed?
No. Trade statistics show what has been reported at a market level; they do not determine whether a specific transaction is legal. Each shipment must be assessed under the applicable sanctions, export-control, customs, banking, insurance and logistics rules in the relevant jurisdictions.
