15:12,

YEREVAN, AUGUST 24, ARMENPRESS. UK imports from Russia have plunged 97% to record low, Bloomberg reports citing data released by the Office for National Statistics.

Figures showed UK fuel imports from Russia, which averaged £499 million a month in the year through February, fell to zero for the first time in data going back to 1997. 

Prior to Russia sending troops into Ukraine , Russia was the UK’s largest supplier of refined oil, the ONS said. The nation accounted for 24.1% of all imports of that commodity. It also supplied 5.9% of the UK’s crude oil imports, and 4.9% of the gas imports. 

But “as a result of the UK government’s ambition to phase out imports of Russian oil and gas, there were no imports of refined oil, crude oil, gas or coal, coke and briquettes from Russia by June 2022,” the ONS said. “This has prompted importers to seek alternatives. There have been increases in imports of refined oil from Saudi Arabia, the Netherlands, Belgium and Kuwait in recent months; partially compensating for reduced imports from Russia.”

Total imports of goods from Russia totaled £33 million in June, down about 97%.