Russia Sees Sharp Decline in Foreign Trade Surplus

(MENAFN) Russia's foreign trade surplus narrowed sharply in the first quarter of 2026, sliding nearly 12 percent from a year earlier to 30.3 billion dollars, official customs data showed Tuesday.

Russia's Federal Customs Service reported that export revenues held nearly flat at 97.2 billion dollars — a marginal decline of just 0.1 billion dollars year on year — while imports climbed more substantially, rising 4 billion dollars to reach 66.9 billion dollars over the January-to-March period. Overall foreign trade turnover expanded 2.43 percent annually to 164.1 billion dollars.

Mineral products dominated Russia's export profile, yet showed signs of strain — totaling 50.6 billion dollars for the quarter, a drop of 12.46 percent compared to the same period last year, underscoring the growing pressure on the country's commodities-driven revenue base.

On the import side, machinery, equipment, and transport vehicles retained their position as the single largest category, rising 6.6 percent to 30.7 billion dollars — a figure that reflects sustained domestic demand for industrial and technological goods despite ongoing international sanctions pressure.

The data signals a gradual erosion of Russia's trade buffer, driven by softening export earnings and accelerating import costs.

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