LONDON, August 24. /TASS/. The UK’s imports of goods from Russia plunged to 33 mln pounds ($39 mln) in June 2022, which was the lowest level in 25 years, whereas Russian fuels were not imported at all, according to a report released by the British Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Wednesday.
"Imports of goods from Russia decreased to 33 million pounds in June 2022 and are at the lowest level since records began in January 1997" amid London's economic sanctions on trade against Moscow, the document said. The issue is about a decrease of 96.6% compared with the average monthly imports in 12 months to February 2022.
Moreover, exports of British goods to Russia slightly grew in June to 83 mln pounds ($98 mln), but they were still at 168 mln pounds ($198 mln), or 66.9% lower compared with the average monthly exports in 12 months to February 2022. "There were no imports of fuels from Russia in June 2022 for the first time since records began," the report said. This is a decrease of 499 mln pounds (100%), or $588 mln, compared with the monthly average for 12 months to February 2022.
That said, imports of fertilizers from Russia to the UK rose by 2.3%, or by 1.4 mln pounds ($1.7 mln), in June to 61.6 mln pounds ($72.3 mln) compared with the monthly average for 12 months to February 2022, while the British exports went up on such items as Medicinal and pharmaceutical products, Organic chemicals, Miscellaneous electrical goods (intermediate).
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on February 24 that in response to a request by the heads of the Donbass republics he had made a decision to carry out a special military operation, after which the US, EU states, the UK, as well as some other states, imposed sanctions against Russian persons and legal entities, as well as sped up arms supplies to Kiev.