KEMEROVO, October 7. /TASS/. Russian coal exports can be preserved at the last-year level on account of the entry into new markets, despite the EU coal embargo effective since August 2022, director of Kuzbassrazrezugol Elena Drobina said on Friday at the plenary session of the Coal Sector - New Reality International Forum.
"Coal is currently supplied in the new environment to twenty countries of the world after August 2022; there were thirty five countries if we consider the structure in 2021. Currently, looking forward to the year of 20233, we understand it is possible to handle sales volumes of 2021 but a number of problems should be solved. There is a problem of import substitution, understaffing, coal products export to new coal markets evolved after August 2022, and the problem of receiving cash in Russia for our export supplies of products," Drobina said.
Kuzbassrazrezugol is currently mining about 45 mln tonnes of coal per year, with export shipments accounting for 75% of this figure, she added.