Russia Is Sharply Raising Duties On Alcohol From "unfriendly" Countries

• 29.09.2026, 17:43

Some suppliers are already shipping their products through Belarus and Kazakhstan.

Starting in 2027, the Russian government plans to increase import duties on beer and alcoholic beverages from countries that the Kremlin considers “unfriendly” by 1.7 to 3.3 times. This was reported by Reuters, citing Ministry of Finance materials related to the draft budget for the next three-year period.

According to the agency, the minimum tax will rise to 5 euros per liter from 1.5 euros for beer and 3 euros for spirits. By raising these rates, the Ministry of Finance expects to generate an additional 10 billion rubles in budget revenue annually.

Russia sharply raised the import duty on beer from “unfriendly countries”—a category that includes most Western nations—effective January 2025, from 0.1 euros to 1 euro, and in September of last year raised it to 1.5 euros per liter.

The rate increase prompted some suppliers to shift their focus and import products via Belarus and Kazakhstan to save money, reported “Kommersant,” citing a letter from Opora Russia to the Russian Ministry of Finance.

The import duty on spirits is currently 20% of the value, but no less than 3 euros per liter. Authorities have been discussing raising the minimum rate to 5 euros since May, *Kommersant* reported, citing sources. According to the publication, this could have bolstered flagging demand for Russian cognac and whiskey.

Russia’s alcohol market contracted by 1.2% over the 12 months through April 2026, according to data from the analytics firm Nielsen. Beer sales account for 85.2% of total volume, while spirits and vodka account for 11.2%. The share of imported beer in the first quarter is estimated at 3.1%.