Russia’s LNG exports rise 35% in September as Yamal shipments recover
Russia exported 3.36 million tonnes of LNG in September 2026, up 35% from the same month of 2025, Kommersant reported using Kpler data. Asia-Pacific markets received most of the volume, while sanctions and Europe’s planned market closure constrain future growth.
September exports reach 3.36 million tonnes
Russia exported 3.36 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas in September 2026, an increase of 35% from the same month of 2025, Kommersant reported, citing data from commodity intelligence company Kpler. The result marks a sharp recovery in monthly shipments at the start of the autumn season.
Ivan Timonin, a senior manager at Implementa, attributed the increase primarily to the resumption of shipments from the Yamal LNG plant after scheduled maintenance in August. This indicates that the September gain was driven at least partly by the restoration of existing production and loading operations rather than solely by the addition of new capacity.
Asia-Pacific absorbs most Russian cargoes
Asia-Pacific was the main destination for Russian LNG during the month. China, Japan and South Korea together received 2.12 million tonnes, equivalent to nearly two-thirds of the reported September total. Russian energy companies shipped another 0.72 million tonnes toward Europe.
For the first nine months of 2026, Russian exporters delivered 25.35 million tonnes of LNG to foreign markets. That was 14% more than in the corresponding period a year earlier. The figures show that September’s 35% annual increase outpaced the cumulative growth recorded since the beginning of the year.
Sanctions and European restrictions limit the outlook
Russia’s operating LNG assets include the NOVATEK-controlled Yamal LNG plant, with design capacity of 16.5 million tonnes a year, and the first train of Arctic LNG 2. Gazprom operates Sakhalin-2, which has capacity of 9.6 million tonnes, and the 1.5-million-tonne Portovaya LNG facility. NOVATEK also controls the 660,000-tonne Cryogas-Vysotsk plant.
Further export growth faces significant constraints. The United States has imposed sanctions on most Russian LNG projects, restricting access to tanker capacity and complicating shipment logistics. Europe is due to close its energy market to Russian LNG suppliers from January 1, 2027. Experts cited in the report said Russian exporters were unlikely to replace the lost European volumes fully through sales to Asian buyers, as Asia-Pacific importers are seeking to diversify their sources of supply rather than become dependent on a small group of foreign producers.
