Russia’s exports to 'friendly nations' hit 84% in 2023: Deputy premier

By Sibel Morrow

Russia has markedly increased its petroleum product exports to "friendly countries," which accounted for approximately 84% of its total exports in 2023, Tass news agency reported Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak as saying on Tuesday.

Novak’s remarks came at the plenary session of the Russia Expo International Forum, where he stressed the dramatic change in Russia's export strategy.

Novak disclosed that the share of exports to friendly nations surged from 30% in 2021 to 84% last year.

According to the data presented by the Russian deputy premier, the share of oil exports to friendly countries stands at 86%, leaving only a 14% margin for nations categorized as unfriendly.

Western countries unleashed successive waves of sanctions in response to Moscow's "special military operation," including a ban on hydrocarbon exports from Russia, one of the world's largest producers.

Moscow hit back with its own measures, either cutting off or curtailing supplies to "unfriendly countries" that imposed sanctions against it and redirecting its oil and gas exports to Asian nations by offering them substantial discounts.