Russia's foreign trade surplus fell 10.5 percent year on year in January-June 2013, the Federal Customs Service said in a statement Tuesday.
"The foreign trade balance was positive at $103.3 billion, $12.1 billion less than in January-June 2012," the statement said.
Russia's foreign trade surplus with CIS countries, a loose association including many former Soviet republics but not the Baltic States or Georgia, fell $4.6 billion to $12.8 billion, with the same indicator for non-CIS countries falling by $7.4 billion to $90.5 billion.
In the first half of 2013, Russia's exports fell by 2.7 percent to $253.9 billion and imports rose 3.4 percent to $150.7 billion.
The European Union remained Russia's largest economic partner, accounting for 50.1 percent of the country's commodity turnover in the first six months of 2013.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
