Russia’s international reserves fall 4.85% in September to $731.76 bln
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Russia's international reserves fell by 4.85% to $731.76 billion as of October 1, 2026, driven by a decrease in both foreign currency holdings and the value of monetary gold, according to the Bank of Russia.
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Why It Matters
Western countries imposed sanctions on the Bank of Russia following the start of the military operation in Ukraine, freezing reserves and restricting asset management.
MOSCOW, October 7. /TASS/. Russia’s international reserves stood at $731.76 bln as of October 1, 2026, down 4.85%, or $37.262 bln, from the beginning of September, the Bank of Russia said.
As of October 1, 2025, Russia’s international reserves stood at $713.301 bln.
Russia’s foreign currency reserves decreased by $5.386 bln in September 2026 to $430.153 bln, down 1.24%, while the value of monetary gold in the reserves fell by 9.56% to $301.607 bln.
International reserves are highly liquid foreign assets held by the Bank of Russia and the Russian government. They consist of foreign currency assets, special drawing rights, the reserve position in the International Monetary Fund, and monetary gold.
Western countries imposed sanctions on the Bank of Russia after Russia launched its special military operation in Ukraine. In addition to freezing Russia’s gold and foreign exchange reserves, they banned all transactions related to the management of the Central Bank’s reserves and assets, as well as transactions with any legal entity, organization, or body acting on behalf of or at the direction of the Central Bank.
Open Questions
- What specific factors drove the 9.56% drop in gold value?
