Europe imported more liquefied natural gas from Russia’s leading LNG project than ever before in the first half of 2026, absorbing nearly all of the Siberian facility’s output months before an EU ban on Russian gas imports comes into effect.

Axar.az informs, citing Financial Times, that EU purchases from Yamal LNG, which Russia’s privately owned Novatek controls, reached a record 9.89mn tonnes in the first six months of the year— 18 per cent more than in the same period last year, according to data from analytics company Kpler.

The figures underline the crucial role Europe still plays in keeping Russia’s flagship energy facility running as Moscow’s war against Ukraine drags through its fifth year.

Europe may have paid as much as €6bn for these shipments, according to estimates by Urgewald, a non-governmental organisation.

The main European buyers were France, Belgium and Spain, which imported 3.6mn, 2.9mn and 2.7mn tonnes respectively from Yamal in the first half of 2026, the Kpler data shows.