Russia fully meets its food needs, says deputy prime minister

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) – Russia fully covers its needs in food supply, the country’s deputy prime minister said on Tuesday amid Western sanctions over war in Ukraine.

All main types of products are produced in the country and the import of foreign aliments has been increasing, the government's press service cited Viktoria Abramchenko as saying in a statement.

"Russia has been providing itself with all basic food products and has been increasing the deliveries of import to saturate the market with different products and increase the assortment for the Russian consumer," Abramchenko said.

She called on Russians to stop buying spare food, saying there are no risks of a deficit despite external economic pressure.

"We will reorient the market and establish profitable mutual trade, will expand the partner network with friendly countries," Abramchenko said, adding that the world is not limited by the US and the EU.

Over the past month, she said, Russia granted permission for the import of food products to over 140 foreign enterprises, including from Turkiye, India, China, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan.

The Russian government is taking measures to prevent problems in the food market amid the sanctions of Western countries, Abramchenko also said.

Among other things, the government had temporarily banned exports of sugar and grain to third countries.

Russia's war on Ukraine, which began on Feb. 24, has drawn international condemnation, led to severe financial sanctions on Moscow, and spurred an exodus of global firms from Russia.

At least 636 civilians have been killed and 1,125 injured in Ukraine since the beginning of the war, and over 3 million refugees have fled to neighboring countries, according to UN estimates.