Russia began 2026 with yet another fiscal improvisation: following the failure of federal budget revenue targets, the government revised the customs clearance tariff for imports. The decision came into effect on January 1 and was a direct response to a sharp drop in collections by the Federal Customs Service, which ended the year 20% below planned revenues—the worst result since 2020.
The new model sharply increases the burden on importers. For small and medium shipments, customs fees rose by 15%, while for large consignments valued over $128,000, the fixed fee was increased by 147%—from $380 to $940 per declaration. Electronics were hit particularly hard: a flat fee of $940 now applies to chips, microchips, telecommunications equipment, and computer components, regardless of shipment size. In some cases, this represents a 2.5-fold increase compared to 2025, and even mass-market consumer goods containing electronic components may fall under the new rates.
The economic consequences are predictably negative. Additional costs for clearing a single container—on average around $500—are passed on to consumers, driving up prices by about 1.5%. High fees on small microelectronics shipments effectively block the import of samples for testing and certification, pushing the industry toward technological degradation. Businesses are forced either to artificially consolidate shipments, sacrificing delivery speed, or to abandon narrow, specialized product lines due to their unprofitability.
In effect, this is another attempt by the Kremlin to plug budget holes at the expense of business. Against the backdrop of declining export revenues, the state shifts the fiscal burden onto imports and the domestic market, deliberately creating an additional inflationary impulse.
