A report by the environmental advocacy organization Urgewald this week shows that, from the beginning of the year to now, almost every export shipment from Russia's Yamal LNG project has arrived in European ports.
The EU received up to 91 LNG shipments from Yamal in the period from January to April, with LNG delivered 17.2% higher than the same period last year.
Europe has never imported so much LNG from Yamal in the first 4 months of the year since President Putin launched this project in 2017," said Sebastian Rotters, who is in charge of the sanctions campaign in Urgewald.
The EU has officially banned the import of Russian LNG under spot purchase contracts since April 25 within the framework of a broader plan to end all Russian gas imports by the end of 2027.
According to the EU's plan, a complete ban on Russian LNG will take effect from the beginning of 2027, while gas transported by pipeline will be banned from the fall of 2027.
However, before the ban was gradually applied, the EU sharply increased imports of LNG shipments from Yamal. According to Urgewald's analysis released last month, up to 97% of the total LNG from the Yamal project in the Arctic in the first quarter of 2026 was transferred to the EU.
The organization also warned that Europe has paid a very high price for Russian LNG, with prices significantly pushed up due to the gas price increase due to the conflict in March, after attacks on Qatar's LNG and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Europe is preparing for a higher-cost gas storage season this year, as the region still faces fluctuations in gas prices due to the loss of LNG supply from Qatar and the ban on buying Russian LNG under spot contracts.
