Russian Railways continues to record a sharp decline in freight transportation across the Russian Federation. The decline last year, which amounted to 4.1% and became a record in the previous 15 years, accelerated twice in 2025.
This is reported by The Moscow Times.
According to statistics from the transport monopoly, by May, the load on the Russian Railways network had decreased by 9.4% year-on-year.
Almost all cargo categories were in the red, and for some, the decline was double-digit.
Coal loading dropped by 3.4%, oil and oil products by 5.8%, and containers by 6.2%. Transportation of construction cargo fell by 20.7%, ferrous metals by 16%, industrial raw materials by 19.2%, and grain by 34.8%.
In addition to the economic slowdown, problems for construction companies, and sanctions restricting exports, Russian railways were hit by Ukrainian drone attacks, which reached record levels in 2025, a source close to the company told the specialized publication “Hudok”.
“UAV raids directly affect the operation of rail transport. Russian Railways (Russian Railways – ed.) does not mention this, but this is a clear restriction on the transportation process. When there is a raid, traffic stops,” the source said.
Let us remind you:
Falling commodity prices, tightening sanctions, and a record interest rate from the Central Bank of the Russian Federation since the early 2000s have hit the finances of the largest Russian companies.
Українська правда
