Russia’s total trade reached about US$745 billion during 2025, also showcasing a significant, albeit shifting, trade surplus of about US$120 billion. In this section we cover all news concerning Russian trade developments, with Russian exporters increasingly reaching out into new markets on a global basis as it pivots away from the West. This is the definitive source on Russian trade. Get the latest data, analysis, and news on Russia’s import/export activities, trade agreements, and increasing commercial partnerships with the Global South.
Russia’s Helix Laboratories have set up a medical diagnostics centre and several clinics in Armenia. The company is Russia’s fourth largest medical diagnosis practice and also operates in Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
Saudi Arabia has increased the number of approved Russian milk producers to 26 following increasing demand for quality dairy products. The Saudi dairy market is growing as consumers look for healthy lifestyles and has an expected CAGR annual growth rate of 4% between 2026 and 2034. Russia is the world’s fourth largest producer of dairy products.
Russia has begun exporting mustard powder to China, with the State watchdog giving approvals. The condiment is used in Chinese hors d’oeuvre as a hot sauce. Chinese demand exceeds domestic supplies with Russia now competing with producers from North America to gain a foothold in the Chinese market.
Russia’s exports of sunflower oil to India are up 34.7% in value in the first seven months of this year. Russia is India’s biggest supplier of sunflower oil, which is used extensively in Indian cuisine.
Russia’s E-Scooter Service ‘Whoosh’ has begun operations in two more cities in Brazil – Curitiba and Campos do Jordao. This brings the number of cities supplied by Whoosh in Brazil to seven. Whoosh has over 15,000 e-scooters in the country and is expanding elsewhere in Latin America.
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The WorldFood and Russian Sea Food Expos have been taking place in Moscow and St. Petersburg with significant trade delegations attending from China, India, ASEAN, Brazil, Egypt and the Middle East as well as most of the Global South nations. We discuss in considerable detail how Russia’s agricultural trade is interacting with these international markets in both exports and imports, within an industrial sector whose output is measured in the trillions of dollars.
Aeroflot has placed another order of 90 MC-21 passenger aircraft from UAC, to be delivered between 2029 and 2032. The aircraft is wholly Russian manufactured, and is designed to carry up to 211 passengers. The order basically means that Aeroflot will have replaced nearly its entire fleet of the 170 Airbus and Boeing aircraft it previously operated or purchased from the EU and the United States.
Russia has been discussing the resumption of direct flights with Japan and South Korea in talks described as ‘complicated’ concerning sanctions and insurance issues. Japan’s bilateral trade with Russia has dropped by nearly US$7 billion per annum since 2022 and South Korea’s by US$9 billion – costing these economies as estimated US$64 billion in trade and their Russian market access since sanctions were imposed.
The 7th Russia-China SME Forum has just taken place in Moscow, with over 1,600 attendees and 800 Russian and Chinese businesses talking part. The even marks a positive shift in the importance of SME’s in the bilateral dynamic. Russia provided nearly US$11.6 billion worth of support to its own SME’s last year, while numerous Chinese SME’s have recently morphed into Unicorns. We examine this important business sector and what it means for developing Russia-China investments in the years to come.
Russia’s agricultural exports to Kazakhstan are up 24% so far in 2026, with supplies of wheat, sugar, sunflower oil, and bread, flour potato and chocolate confectionery products all up 10% each, while bran, barley, live animals, mayonnaise, sauces and pasta products also all showed significant increases.
Iran is hoping to quadruple its fish exports to Russia. The country has a free trade agreement with Russia and is a major exporter of prawns and rainbow trout. Iran exports fish and seafood to 67 countries worldwide despite sanctions, with Russia the third largest importer after Iraq and China.
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