Russia’s Pharmaceutical Imports under Sanctions Period

Abstract

The article analyzes the changes in pharmaceutical imports to Russia during 2018-2024, which account for about half of the country’s pharmaceutical consumption. Based on data from UN Comtrade, Eurostat, and GACC, a panel of 83 exporting countries was compiled, covering 96% of Russia’s pre-sanction imports. In 2022–2024, the share of imports in pharmaceutical consumption remained largely unchanged, with supplies from “unfriendly” countries continued to dominate. An empirical analysis using a gravity model estimated with PPML method confirms the resilience of imports from the “unfriendly” countries and indicates a decline in medicines alongside an increase in substances supplied from neutral countries.