Crisis in Russian coal industry paralyzes transportation system – foreign intelligence

The Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine (FISS) reports serious problems in the Russian coal industry: a shortage of cargo paralyzes railway transport, and more than 295 thousand wagons remain unused.

According to the FISS, the situation in the Russian coal industry is worsening and is already beginning to affect other sectors of the economy. The most significant complications have arisen in rail transportation. In the first quarter of 2025, coal transportation volume to the Azov, Black, and Baltic Seas ports decreased sharply.

The main reason for this decline is coal companies’ inability to fulfill the ordered supply volumes. The share of unfulfilled orders has reached 30%.

This situation has led to severe difficulties for Russian railways. Due to the insufficient cargo in warehouses, thousands of wagons are idle. As of April 2025, the surplus of the railcar fleet in Russia exceeded 295 thousand units, significantly overloading the infrastructure and increasing maintenance costs.

SZRU notes that such imbalances are not a temporary phenomenon but indicate a deep systemic crisis. Sanctions, loss of access to profitable markets, and problems with exports will continue to worsen the industry’s situation.

Intelligence forecasts show that if the trend continues, the crisis in the coal industry could significantly disrupt the operation of the Russian transport system and damage its economy as a whole.

It is also reported that in Krasnodar, about a hundred Russian servicemen tried to escape from the commandant’s office, breaking through the fence and trying to leave the territory where they were being held for desertion.