Russia suspends rail transit to Poland, impacting coal supplies

Russia has issued a decision to suspend rail transit through the Krasnoye intergovernmental junction, impacting shipments destined for Belarusian Railways. The ban, requested by Russian Railways, is scheduled to run from October 8 to October 17, 2026.

The Polish Chamber of Coal Sellers (PIGSW) reported that the directive was sent to several countries, including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia. This suspension includes all types of cargo and empty wagons, which directly affects coal imports to Poland from CIS countries.

No official reason was provided for the ban. While such restrictions are sometimes used when receiving infrastructure cannot handle the volume of incoming wagons, the sudden nature of the decision poses a challenge to Poland's coal stockpiles ahead of the upcoming heating season.