Russia’s Trade Grows Despite Sanctions

(MENAFN) Russia's overseas trade has expanded significantly when compared to levels seen before the Ukraine war intensified, even with extensive Western restrictions in place, according to a recent analysis by the German Economic Institute.

In 2022, nations including the US, EU, UK, Canada, Japan, and others enforced sweeping restrictions on Moscow, aiming at its banking sector, commercial dealings, and energy shipments.

However, Russian officials have repeatedly labeled these restrictive actions as unlawful and ineffective.

In a study issued on Friday, the German Economic Institute highlighted that “despite all European efforts, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s war chest is not emptying.”

The report indicated that the Kremlin is “skillfully exploiting the loopholes in the sanctions regime to expand its financial resources.”

This conclusion is supported by an 18 percent rise in Russia’s exports to its 20 most significant trading allies in the past year compared to figures from 2021.

The Institute’s researchers approximated that this boost represented 330 billion dollars’ worth of merchandise.

“The preliminary data for 2025 also shows that little has changed in this regard,” the publication emphasized, indicating that the trend continues.

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