MOSCOW, October 15. /TASS/. Russia's coal exports in the eastern direction could reach 123-125 mln tons by the end of 2026, Deputy Energy Minister Dmitry Islamov said, adding that total coal exports from the country this year are projected at 211 mln tons.

"The development of the Eastern [Railway] Polygon is still our primary objective. The development of the Eastern Polygon is not just Russian Railways’ project, but a project for the coal industry. We estimate the volume of freight transported eastward at around 123-125 mln tons this year," he said on the sidelines of Russian Energy Week.

According to the Russian Energy Ministry’s figures, coal shipments in the eastern direction reached 118.2 mln tons in 2025, an increase of 6.1% compared to 2024.

The Russian Energy Week (REW) International Forum is taking place in Moscow from October 14 to 16. It is being held with the support of the Government of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation, and the Government of Moscow. The Roscongress Foundation organizes the forum. TASS is the information partner of Russian Energy Week.