Russia has raised customs duties to 35% on spirits imported from countries deemed “unfriendly”. A minimum duty of €5 per litre has been set.
The duties apply to whisky, rum, gin, liqueurs, brandy, tinctures and undenatured ethyl alcohol. The measures come as Russia faces a massive budget deficit.
The Kremlin has drawn up a list of 49 countries designated as “unfriendly”, including European Union member states, the US, the UK and other countries that imposed sanctions on Moscow following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Approved on 31 October, the new duties will remain in force until at least 31 December 2027, Antena3 reports.
Previously, the customs duty on the listed beverages was 20%, with a minimum charge of €3 per liter.
Alcohol industry experts previously told Kommersant that the higher duties would most likely be reflected in retail prices once existing stocks had been depleted.
They also warned that although the increase in customs duties is intended to boost demand for Russian-made spirits, domestic producers may still see only limited sales growth amid a gradual decline in alcohol consumption.