Moscow, Oct. 13 (Petr) -- The Russian Ministry of Finance announced Tuesday that Russia's foreign trade reached nearly $102 billion year-to-date, marking a 16.4 percent year-on-year increase alongside growing total trade turnover.

In a statement, the ministry noted that rising exports helped bolster the trade surplus despite continued import growth. It added that Russia's merchandise trade performance index is projected to continue its steady upward trajectory, driven by a shift in export destinations and expanding trade relations with Asian markets.

//Petra// AF