Russian vodka exports soared by 14 percent last year, with the country selling 49 million liters of the spirit abroad in 2016.
The trend mirrors growing vodka production in Russia as a whole, with distilleries bottling on average 16 percent more spirit than in 2015.
Germany came first place among importers of Russian vodka, buying 6.9 million liters in 2016, a report by the Federal and Regional Alcohol Markets (TSIFFRA) announced on Thursday.
It was followed by Ukraine, which imported 6.4 million liters, Britain with 3.5 million liters, and the United States with 2.5 million liters.
Both the Americans and the China are showing an increasing appetite for Russian vodka, with exports to both countries growing by 178,000 liters and 32,000 liters per month respectively.
The news will be welcomed by producers and businesses, who saw revenue from exports fall by 40 percent in 2015 as anti-Russian sanctions began to bite.
Sales to Ukraine — the biggest importer of Russian alcohol before the annexation of Crimea — are continuing to suffer thanks to the country's ongoing conflict with Moscow, with exports falling by 148,400 liters a month, TSIFFRA reported.
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