Russia may boost oil exports to China via Kazakhstan — Novak

Russia may increase oil exports to China via Kazakhstan by 2.5 million tonnes following a request from Beijing, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said.

Novak noted that the proposal came from the Chinese side, and Moscow is ready to meet the request. However, he said technical adjustments to Kazakhstan’s pipeline infrastructure will be needed before the increase can take place. Work on this is already underway, he added.

In the first quarter of 2025, China reduced its imports of Russian oil by 14.7% year-on-year to 24.3 million tonnes. In February, Russian oil exports to India also fell by 23% compared to the same period in 2024.