Russian GDP falls 0.2% in Q1 - Rosstat

MOSCOW. May 15 (Interfax) - Russian GDP fell 0.2% year-on-year in Q1 2026, the State Statistics Service (Rosstat) said in a preliminary estimate.

The Russian Economic Development Ministry has estimated GDP fell 0.3% in Q1, the Central Bank - 0.5% and analysts in a consensus forecast for Interfax - 0.4%.

The Econ Ministry and Central Bank have said GDP growth in the first quarter was significantly impacted by the calendar factor - there were three fewer working days in Q1 2026 than in Q1 2025 - and the cold winter, which led to a decline in construction activity compared to last year.

The second quarter of 2026 will have three more working days than a year previously, so the Central Bank expects year-on-year GDP growth this quarter to be 0.9%.

Russian GDP grew 1.0% in 2025 and 4.9% in 2024.