The international delegation, headed by Ana Lucía Bueno, ICRC Public Health Coordinator, and Sujit Panda, Head of the Physical Rehabilitation…
Freight transportation by Russia’s railway monopoly RZD in 2025 demonstrated the worst dynamics in more than a decade and a half. Declines were recorded in almost all key areas, serving as a direct indicator of a deepening systemic economic crisis in Russia.
This was reported by the Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.
By the end of 2025, transport volumes declined in 13 out of 15 cargo categories. In particular, grain transportation fell by more than 12%, construction materials by more than 10%, and timber by nearly 6%.
The deepest decline was recorded in the segment of industrial raw materials and ferrous metals — down 16% and 17.7%, respectively. Such figures have not been seen in Russia’s railway sector since 2009, during the global financial crisis.
The CCD emphasizes that freight transportation volumes are one of the most objective indicators of the real state of the economy, especially amid manipulation of official statistics, which Russian authorities systematically engage in. This indicator directly reflects production levels, domestic demand, and activity in key industries.
The decline at RZD has continued for the fourth consecutive year — since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The current figures indicate not temporary difficulties but the formation of a stable trend toward degradation of logistics, industry, and the resource-based economy.
Despite attempts by Russian propaganda to create an illusion of economic “resilience” and benefits from the war and sanctions, the situation at the key transport monopoly shows the opposite: a systemic economic crisis is intensifying in Russia.
