Imports of Russia's main base metals, aluminum and nickel, to the European Union and the United States surged by as much as 70 percent in the March-June period, according to official trade data compiled from the United Nations Commodity Trade Statistics database.
The combined value of imports of the two metals to the European Union and the United States reached $1.98 billion. Russia's nickel and aluminum are currently exempt from sanctions, and a rise in nickel prices following the conflict has provided an incentive for refined nickel exports and increased demand for the military industry.
