MOSCOW, July 16. /TASS/. In the first half of 2024, Russia increased its exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) by 9% (or 2 billion cubic meters), according to a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA).

"Russian LNG inflows rose by 9% y-o-y and remain highly concentrated. Belgium, France and Spain accounted for more than 85% of Europe’s total LNG imports from Russia in H1 2024," the report states.

The Yamal LNG plant was the main driver of growth, although smaller projects also contributed to increased exports, the IEA noted.

On November 2, 2023, the United States imposed sanctions against Novatek's Arctic LNG 2 project. On December 12, 2023, the United States imposed sanctions against Russian enterprises producing equipment for LNG production, including Northern Technologies, Kazankompressormash and Gazprom Linde Engineering. The EU announced the introduction of restrictions on the transit of Russian LNG through European ports to third countries from the spring of 2025 (after a transition period of 9 months), and also prohibited investments, the provision of goods and services to complete the Arctic LNG 2 and Murmansk LNG projects.