In the three years since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, nothing has changed as much economically for Moscow as its trade relations with the rest of the world.

In 2021, almost 50% of Russia's exports went to European countries, including Belarus and Ukraine, according to the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC). The bulk of those exports were energy products, primarily crude oil and gas.

Yet, by the end of 2023, less than two years after the invasion began on February 24, 2022, the picture was completely transformed.

The OEC's recently published figures for 2023 show China and India out in front as Russia's two main export markets, accounting for 32.7% and 16.8% respectively — half the total. In 2021, China accounted for 14.6% of Russian exports whereas India accounted for just 1.56%.

The two countries have swept up the export market share previously taken by European countries. The 2023 figures show European nations accounting for barely 15% of Russian exports, a huge drop from the almost 50% of two years earlier.

While the OEC has not yet published figures for 2024, data from other sources, such as the Russian foreign trade tracker........

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