Keep quiet about it, but the irked EU paid an estimated €1.92 billion for LNG from Russia’s Yamal project in the third quarter of 2026. 

To take the sting out of winter, the EU ports received a record 12.18 million tons of Russian gas between January and September, an increase of 9.5 per cent compared with the same period last year.

The Kremlin grabs €7.88 billion

Although third-quarter import volumes were 13.6 per cent lower than in Q3 2025, the EU’s estimated bill for the first nine months reached €7.88 billion. 

Analysis shows that 167 Yamal cargoes were delivered to EU ports between January and September. Europe received 85 per cent of the project’s recorded deliveries by volume, remaining by far its largest market.

Special Tankers to beat the ice

Europe took more Russian Arctic LNG and absorbed a greater share of the project’s output. Yamal depends on specialized Arc7 ice-class tankers to keep gas moving through Arctic waters.

Fast Turnround

European ports provide a nearby market, allowing vessels to unload and return to the project quickly. Closing this route and restricting the services supporting the fleet would make Russia’s Arctic LNG trade harder to sustain.

September deliveries were higher than September last year and reached 792,440 tons, worth an estimated €818 million. The EU’s short-term contract ban entered into force several months ago. So far, no noticeable effect is visible.

The EU Caves in to Reality

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‘The EU has imported more than 12 million tons of Yamal LNG this year, worth an estimated €7.88 billion. That is over 44,000 tons every day on average.

Even after the summer slowdown, Europe has taken more than it did during the same period last year.

Russia laughs all the way to the bank

‘Europe’s continued purchases give Russia a large, nearby market for its Arctic gas. They also give European governments significant power over this trade.

‘Every additional month of largely uninterrupted LNG trade means further revenue for Russia while Ukraine continues to suffer daily attacks by missiles and drones.

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