MOSCOW, Russia / Eurasian Newswire / – Russia’s foreign trade surplus rose 13.2% year on year to $116.8 billion in January to September 2026, according to the Federal Customs Service. Exports increased by $41.9 billion to $346.5 billion during the period, while imports rose by $28.3 billion to $229.7 billion. Foreign trade turnover grew by 13.9% to $576.2 billion, the TASS news agency reported, citing the official figures.
The figures imply that exports grew by about 13.8% from a year earlier, while imports rose by roughly 14%. On that basis, the surplus for the first nine months of 2025 stood at about $103.2 billion. The latest data extend the trend seen earlier in the year. In January to August, the surplus grew 16.4% to $102.9 billion, Interfax reported, indicating a September surplus of about $13.9 billion.
Mineral products, which include oil, gas and coal, made up the largest share of exports at $194.8 billion, up 14.3%. Metals and metal products came second, with exports rising 21.8% to $63.5 billion. Agricultural products ranked third at $31.8 billion, an increase of 15.6%. Russia’s non-resource, non-energy exports topped $96 billion in the first seven months of the year, up 8%. Together, the three main groups accounted for about 84% of exports.
Asia takes 80% of exports
Asia remained Russia’s dominant trading region. Exports to Asian countries rose 17.7% to $277.5 billion, or about 80% of the total, while imports from the region increased 17.6% to $158.1 billion. Trade with Europe was more balanced. Exports to European countries grew 2.3% to $44.5 billion, while imports from Europe rose 8.9% to $56.2 billion, leaving Russia with a deficit of about $11.7 billion. The figures underline the eastward shift in Russia’s trade.
Exports to African states fell 0.7% to $15.8 billion, while imports edged up 7.3% to $3.6 billion. Supplies to North and South America dropped 7.8% to $8.6 billion, and imports from the Americas slipped 1% to $11.7 billion. Russia has also been expanding ties with partners in the Middle East and Asia. Trade with Oman rose 22-fold to $1.5 billion in the first seven months of 2026. Africa and the Americas together took about 7% of Russian exports.
Machinery leads imports
Machinery, equipment and vehicles were the largest import category. Purchases in this group rose 16.1% to $112.4 billion, accounting for almost half of all imports. Chemical products followed, with imports up 11.3% to $44.8 billion. Agricultural imports increased 4.3% to $32.6 billion. Together, the three categories made up about 83% of Russia’s imports over the nine months. Imports overall grew slightly faster than exports in percentage terms.
Agricultural trade was close to balance, with exports of $31.8 billion against imports of $32.6 billion. Russia’s surplus had weakened earlier, falling 8.17% in 2025 as a whole and 3.36% in January to April 2026, before recovering in the following months. The data published by the Federal Customs Service cover trade in goods only and do not include services. The next release will cover the first ten months of the year.