Russia Reroutes Grain Shipments to Baltic Sea Amid Black Sea Conflict

Russian grain exporters are rerouting shipments to the Baltic Sea due to Ukrainian drone attacks in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, traders and analysts told Reuters. The conflict has disrupted trade in the region, with Russia's Azov and Black Sea ports accounting for 90% of its seaborne grain exports last season.

According to industry data, Russia exported 46.3 million tonnes of grain via these ports between July 2025 and June 2026. However, Russian Baltic ports shipped only about one million tonnes during the same period.

Russian exporters are increasingly looking at ports in the Baltic states, mainly in Latvia, an EU and NATO member, analysts and traders said. Shipments through the Baltic region are expected to spike next month, with some estimates suggesting exports could reach between five and six million tonnes this season or even 10 million tonnes if Estonian ports also become available.

Arkady Zlochevsky, head of the Russian Grain Union, estimated that combined grain-handling capacity across the three Baltic states exceeds 18 million tonnes annually. However, these facilities also handle grain from other origins in Europe.