China Remains The Largest Importer Of Russian Coal

 From January to April 2026, ‌ China imported 23.4 million tons of coal from Russia , firmly holding the top position as the leading importer of coal in Russia.

‌  Other major import markets: At the same time, ‌ India ranks second with an import volume of 11.6 million tons, a 2% increase year-on-year; ‌ Turkey ranks third with 6.5 million tons, an increase of 1.5% year-on-year. ‌ ‌

  Market Changes and Trends

‌   China's import volume decreased year-on-year. ‌ Although maintaining its status as the largest importer, but ‌ China's coal imports from Russia decreased by 21% compared to the same period last year.

‌   Russia shifts exports to other Asian markets. In the context of declining import demand in China, Russian exporters are shifting their supply focus to other Asian countries and regions.

‌  Surge in exports to South Korea ‌ During the same period, Russia's coal exports to South Korea increased by 90%, reaching 8.4 million tons. This is mainly because the landed price of Russian coal has a significant advantage over Australian coal, and Korean power companies have increased their purchases to cope with the summer peak demand and control costs.

‌   Growth in exports to other regions ‌ Russia ‌ The coal export volume to Taiwan, China, increased by 44%. ‌ , reaching 1.3 million tons; ‌ The export volume to Japan increased by 80%, reaching 41.7 million tons. ‌ ‌