Russian oil flows to China surge 35%, presidential aide reports

Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov said that supplies of Russian oil to China increased by more than one-third in the first quarter of 2026, rising by 35% to 31 million tonnes, according to TASS.

He also stressed that Russia remains one of the largest suppliers of gas to the Chinese market, strengthening its position in energy cooperation between the two countries.

Russia and China’s energy trade has continued to deepen through 2026, with crude oil flows reaching record or near-record levels as Chinese refiners take advantage of discounted Russian barrels. Independent tracking shows that Russia’s seaborne crude shipments to China hit about 1.86 million barrels per day in January 2026, up sharply year-on-year, making China the single largest destination for Russian oil exports.

At the same time, China’s growing appetite for discounted Russian crude has significantly reshaped Moscow’s export structure, with Chinese buyers now accounting for more than half of total Russian seaborne oil shipments in recent months. The shift highlights Beijing’s expanding leverage in the bilateral energy relationship, particularly following Europe’s gradual withdrawal from Russian energy markets.

By Jeyhun Aghazada