{
  "id": 19605394,
  "title": "EU purchases of Russian Yamal LNG rise to over $9 billion in 2026, despite October dip",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/12/eu-purchases-of-russian-yamal-lng-rise-to-over-9-billion-in-2026",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-12T05:00:31.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Kyiv Independent",
    "slug": "kyiv-independent",
    "url": "https://kyivindependent.com/eu-purchases-of-russian-yamal-lng-rise-to-over-9-billion-in-2026-despite-october-dip/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The European Union spent approximately 8.7 billion euros on liquefied natural gas (LNG) sourced from Russia's Yamal project in the first ten months of 2026, the NGO Urgewald reported on November 12, citing Kpler data. This expenditure represents over one-fifth more than the total spent on Yamal LNG throughout the entire year of 2025, according to the NGO's data shared with the Kyiv Independent. As a full ban on Russian gas imports from the EU is set to take effect in January, this news comes less than two months prior to the ban, part of Europe's efforts to reduce dependence on Russian energy and diminish the Kremlin's wartime revenues.\n\nIn October 2026, EU countries purchased 705,591 metric tons of Yamal LNG, marking an 11% decrease from September's purchases. However, despite this decline in quantity, the payments to Russian LNG suppliers actually increased by 2.6% due to rising prices. France emerged as the primary destination for Russian LNG cargoes in October, accounting for 70% of all EU purchases. Spain received two cargoes, and the Netherlands received one. Notably, Belgium, traditionally a significant buyer of Russian LNG, did not receive any deliveries between August and October, as reported by the NGO Urgewald.\n\nThe Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) think tank noted that EU imports of Russian LNG rebounded by 60% month-over-month in September, following a record low in August. Despite the looming ban on Russian gas imports, the European bloc remains the leading buyer of Russia's LNG, accounting for nearly half of the country's exports, according to CREA. Sebastian Rötters, a sanctions campaigner at Urgewald, commented that losing access to Europe's market could significantly harm Russia's Arctic gas industry. He emphasized that longer voyages, higher shipping costs, and thinner profits would leave Russia shouldering the consequences. Urgewald urged Europe to maintain its resolve and refrain from any retreat, exemptions, or lifelines for this trade, as the January ban approaches.",
  "summary": "The European bloc has already paid over one-fifth more for Yamal LNG this year than throughout the entire 2025, according to Urgewald.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Ajel English",
        "title": "Russian oil output tops 8 million barrels per day in October",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/12/russian-oil-output-tops-8-million-barrels-per-day-in-october",
        "published": "2026-11-12T01:56:58.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}