LNG exports from Russia fell by 3.4% over the first 10 months, to 25.2 million tons, amid anti-Russian sanctions imposed by the EU and the US, but in October shipments increased by 21%, to 3.4 million tons.

LNG exports from Russia fell by 3.4% over the first 10 months, to 25.2 million tons, amid anti-Russian sanctions imposed by the EU and the US. However, in October, shipments unexpectedly increased by 21%, reaching a maximum volume of 3.4 million tons.

The October increase was primarily due to increased liquefied gas supplies from the Arctic LNG 2 project. The plant was commissioned in 2023, but remained virtually idle until August 2025 due to anti-Russian sanctions, producing sporadic batches to maintain the equipment.

In the summer, the plant's shareholders reached an agreement with Chinese buyers to sell LNG at the specially designated Beihai LNG terminal using a shadow fleet.

As a result, shipments from this plant reached 1.3 million tons in 2025, of which 0.9 million tons were exported. In October alone, exports from Arctic LNG 2 increased by 87% compared to September, reaching 575,000 tons, including LNG shipments from the transshipment hub in Kamchatka. However, LNG shipments also increased last month from other projects, such as Sakhalin-2 and Yamal LNG.

Shipments from Yamal LNG have decreased by 6% year-on-year since the beginning of the year, reaching 15.2 million tons. However, in October, the plant significantly increased liquefied gas production, reaching 1.76 million tons, 8% higher than the previous year's figures and 17% higher than September's.

The Asia-focused Sakhalin-2 LNG plant increased shipments by 6.4% from January to October, reaching 8.3 million tons. In October, the plant increased exports by 10% year-on-year and by 14% year-on-year, reaching 0.98 million tons.

LNG exports from Gazprom's medium-tonnage Portovaya LNG plants in the Baltic Sea and NOVATEK and Gazprombank's Cryogaz-Vysotsk were suspended in February due to sanctions. However, according to analysts Vortexa and Kpler, the Perles tanker loaded at Portovaya LNG and then transferred ship-to-ship to another vessel off the coast of Malaysia. According to LSEG, a second tanker from Portovaya LNG departed in October to find a buyer.