Russia's coal exports drop by one-third — Ukrainian intel

Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service stated this on Saturday, April 19, 2025.

As emphasized, "in the first quarter of 2025, the volumes of coal transportation by Russian railways to the ports of the Azov, Black, and Baltic Seas significantly decreased."

“The main reason for this decline is the inability of coal companies to provide the declared volumes of supply. The share of coal not provided for transportation reached 30% of the pre-ordered amount. As a result, the railroad monopoly is forced to maintain extra railcars that are not in use,” the statement said.

According to Ukrainian intelligence, as of April 2025, the excess of railcars in Russia has reached 295,000 units. Experts from the Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence Service believe that "this creates additional pressure on the infrastructure and increases maintenance costs."

Ukrainian intelligence forecasts that sanctions and export issues to traditionally high-margin markets will continue to complicate the functioning of the industry. "The deepening of the crisis may not only collapse the coal industry but also the entire transportation system of Russia," concludes the Foreign Intelligence Service.

• On August 1, 2022, the European Union imposed a ban on the export of Russian coal, while China increased its imports.