Russian parallel import value projected at $20.5 billion for 2026

VLADIVOSTOK, September 3. /TASS/. The value of shipments under the parallel import mechanism may reach $20.5 billion in 2026, Russian Industry and Trade Minister Anton Alikhanov told reporters on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).

"In 2026, the projected value of parallel imports is estimated at around $20.5 billion," he said.

Parallel imports for the first seven months of this year amounted to approximately $12.2 billion, and the figure could reach $13.8 billion for the January-August period," the minister specified.

"As we have repeatedly stated, the decline in parallel import volumes is a natural trend, driven, among other things, by the development of domestic production and the substitution of goods from unfriendly countries with alternatives from friendly nations," Alikhanov noted.

The total volume of parallel imports into Russia exceeded $23.1 billion by the end of 2025, with the monthly average reaching about $1.9 billion, Roman Chekushov, State Secretary and Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, reported earlier.

The parallel import mechanism has been in effect since March 2022. The government allowed the import of popular original foreign-made goods into the country without the consent of the copyright holders. Since then, the list of goods permitted for import has been updated several times.

The Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) is being held on September 1-4 in Vladivostok on the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University. The main theme of the EEF in 2026 is "The Far East: Development for the Benefit of People." The event is organized by the Roscongress Foundation with the support of the Government of the Russian Federation. TASS is the general media partner.