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Russia's Gazprom Sees 70% Surge in Gas Exports to Central Asia
Energy Minerals · Oil & Gas Production · yonhap_finance · 2026-09-09
Gazprom is aggressively pivoting to Central Asian markets as Western sanctions restrict European access, with exports to the region jumping 70% this year.
What Happened
Gazprom's Strategic Pivot: Russian energy giant Gazprom has significantly ramped up natural gas exports to Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Following the loss of European markets due to sanctions, the company has successfully redirected its supply chains, resulting in a 70% year-on-year increase in exports to these Central Asian nations.
Rising Demand in Uzbekistan: Uzbekistan, once a major gas exporter, has transitioned into a net importer due to rapid population growth and industrial development. The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects that Russian gas exports to the country will reach 10 billion cubic meters this year, highlighting a deepening energy dependency.
Regional Market Dynamics: Kazakhstan continues to import Russian gas to supplement its own needs, as it prioritizes gas reinjection to maximize oil production at its major fields. Meanwhile, Kyrgyzstan has secured its energy future by signing a long-term agreement with Gazprom to receive power-generation gas through 2040.
Global Market Shift: While Russia has lost its position as the world's top gas exporter to the United States since the onset of the Ukraine war, it remains a dominant player in the Asian market. With China remaining its largest customer outside the former Soviet bloc, Russia is increasingly focusing on Asian integration to offset the loss of its traditional European customer base.