In response to Kremlin’s hostility towards its neighbor, the Office for National Statistics released this figure after the United Kingdom took steps to end its energy dependence on Moscow.
According to official data, the United Kingdom purchased no fuels from Russia in June for the first time due to sanctions imposed over the invasion of Ukraine.
The figure was released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) following the United Kingdom’s decision to phase out the usage of Russian oil and gas in response to Kremlin aggression.
In response to sanctions, Russia has been accused of weaponizing energy by limiting gas supply through the Nord Stream pipeline to Europe, fueling spiking prices and a worsening cost of living crisis ahead of winter.
According to the ONS, imports of Russian goods decreased to £33 million in June, the lowest level since records began in January 1997.
This is a decrease of 96.6% compared to the average monthly imports in the 12 months before the invasion of Ukraine in February of this year.
Although British exports to Russia increased modestly month-over-month in June, their levels had fallen by £168m, or about two-thirds, compared to the monthly average for the 12 months before February.
In June, exports of the majority of commodities had declined significantly, with machinery and transportation equipment falling by £118 million, or 91%.
Chemicals were the sole product whose exports to Russia increased over this time, led by an increase of £39.1m (61.8%) in sanctions-exempt exports of medications and medicines.
Self-sanctioning, in which traders willingly seek alternatives to Russian goods, is also likely to have contributed to the decline in imports and exports, according to the Office for National Statistics.
The data were released as Ukraine celebrated the 31st anniversary of its independence from the Soviet Union and the six-month anniversary of Russia’s invasion.
Before the invasion of Ukraine, Russia was the United Kingdom’s greatest supplier of refined oil in 2021, accounting for 24.1% of total imports of this commodity, as well as 5.9% of crude oil imports and 4.8% of gas imports.
In June, there were no imports of refined oil, crude oil, gas, coal, coke, or briquettes from Russia due to the actions of the British government.
In recent months, importers have increased their purchases of refined oil from Saudi Arabia, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Kuwait in response to this situation.
