Russia’s exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the first two months of the year fell by 7.3% from a year earlier to 5.1 million metric tons, LSEG preliminary data showed, amid sanctions and supply cuts from Sakhalin-2 project.

Russia has struggled to raise LNG exports in the face of U.S. restrictions over the conflict in Ukraine. Its new Arctic LNG 2 plant has been effectively frozen because it was unable to find buyers owing to Western sanctions.

In February alone, Russia’s LNG exports fell by 8% to 2.36 million tons from 2.57 million tons in the same month a year ago, according to LSEG data.

Russia’s LNG exports to Europe in January-February fell 13% year on year to 2.7 million tons, while supplies in February in this direction declined by 7% to 1.3 million tons.

Novatek’s Yamal LNG plant raised total exports in February by 7% year on year to 1.5 million tons.

Sakhalin-2, controlled by Gazprom, exported 760,000 tons from the Pacific island in February, down 21% from the same month in 2024.

Gazprom’s small-scale Portovaya LNG on the shores of the Baltic Sea was sanctioned by the U.S. in January, when its last cargo was delivered to a buyer. It loaded some LNG cargoes this month, but they have not been delivered yet.

U.S. President Donald Trump has said he wants the EU to buy more U.S. LNG and that he will make more of it available.

Source: Reuters