Russia's LNG Exports Rise 11.5% YoY to 14.5 Million Tons in January-May
Claire Weston
Russia exported 14.5 million tonnes of LNG in the first five months of 2026, up 11.5% year-on-year, driven by Arctic LNG 2's production ramp-up — even as EU shipments climbed despite an approved phase-out timeline.
How much did overall exports grow?
LSEG preliminary data show Russia's Jan–May LNG exports hit 14.5 million tonnes, up 11.5% year-on-year.
May alone reached 3.12 million tonnes, a 23% YoY jump — the highest monthly level since December 2023.
This means → despite sanctions pressure, Russian LNG output is still expanding, not shrinking.
Where did the extra volume come from?
The bulk of the increase came from Arctic LNG 2, which shipped 1.4 million tonnes in the first five months.
The project started production in December 2023, but U.S. sanctions delayed the first cargo to a Chinese end-buyer until August last year.
In plain terms = the plant was built on time; sanctions only delayed deliveries by roughly half a year, and volumes are now ramping fast.
The EU approved a ban — so why are European shipments rising?
The EU approved a ban on Russian natural gas imports by end-2027 in January, yet Jan–May LNG shipments to Europe still rose 16.7% YoY to 7.7 million tonnes.
May shipments to Europe hit roughly 1.36 million tonnes, up from 1.28 million tonnes a year earlier.
This means → the ban includes a two-year transition window, and European buyers are stocking up before it closes.
How are the major projects performing?
Novatek's Yamal LNG — Russia's largest export source — shipped 8.3 million tonnes in the first five months, up 1.2% YoY.
Gazprom-controlled Sakhalin-2, which serves mainly Asian buyers, exported 4.7 million tonnes, slightly above last year's 4.6 million tonnes.
This reflects a structure where Yamal remains the backbone; Arctic LNG 2 is the marginal growth driver.
Content is for reference only, not financial advice.