Support The Moscow Times!

Russian Imports Drop 36% in 2015

Maxim Stulov / Vedomosti

Imports into Russia from beyond the former Soviet Union dropped by 36.4 percent and totaled $161.5 billion last year, the Federal Customs Service said in a statement Thursday.

Russia imported $14.8 billion worth of goods in December, a 6.2 increase compared to the previous month, but a 28.3 percent decrease compared to December 2014.

The sharp drop in imports comes as Russia's economy is reeling from low oil prices and Western sanctions imposed on Russia over its actions in eastern Ukraine.

In the first ten months of 2015, the Russian economy shrank 3.7 percent, according to a report by the Economic Development Ministry.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more