Russia’s e-commerce market continued its strong expansion in the first half of 2026, with online retail turnover reaching RUB 7.2 trillion (approximately $90.8 billion), according to data from the Association of Internet Trade Companies (AKIT). The figure represents an 18.7% year-on-year increase.
Regional Markets Drive Russia’s E-Commerce Growth
The latest figures highlight a significant shift in Russia’s e-commerce landscape, with regional markets increasingly driving growth beyond Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Domestic online stores and marketplaces generated approximately RUB 6.9 trillion, while cross-border e-commerce accounted for RUB 245.8 billion, representing 3.4% of total online turnover.
E-commerce also increased its contribution to Russia’s overall retail sector. Online sales represented 22.2% of total retail turnover between January and June 2026, up from 20.9% during the same period a year earlier.
According to AKIT, 45 Russian regions have already exceeded the national average for online retail penetration. The Arkhangelsk region recorded the highest share at 52.9%, followed by the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug at 38.8%.
Regions outside Moscow and St. Petersburg generated nearly 80% of Russia’s total e-commerce turnover during the first half of the year. Moscow remained the largest individual regional market, accounting for 15.4% of turnover, but its share declined from 16.5%.
Online Retail Expands Beyond Major Cities
The rapid development of e-commerce in Russia’s regions is being supported by wider marketplace access, expanding pickup-point networks and improved delivery infrastructure.
AKIT president Artem Sokolov said online shopping is particularly attractive in areas where traditional retail offers a more limited product range. The trend has been especially visible across Siberia and the Far East, where consumers increasingly use online platforms to access products that may not be readily available locally.
Several regions recorded e-commerce turnover growth of more than 30%, including Tyva, the Nenets and Jewish autonomous okrugs, Chechnya, Dagestan, Trans-Baikal, Kalmykia, Kaliningrad and Amur.
Marketplace operators are also seeing stronger growth outside the country’s largest cities. Ozon reported that regional online orders are growing faster than those in Moscow, where online penetration is already significantly higher.
Home, Fashion and Food Lead Online Spending
Home goods and furniture represented the largest category of online sales during the first half of 2026, accounting for 15.8% of e-commerce turnover.
Clothing and footwear followed with 15.1%, while food accounted for 14.8%. Electronics and appliances represented 13%, and beauty and health products contributed 6.8%.
Digital goods recorded the fastest growth, expanding by almost 40% year on year. Online turnover for pharmaceuticals, pet supplies and crafting materials also increased by around 30%.
Russia’s E-Commerce Market Enters a New Phase
The H1 2026 results underline the increasing importance of e-commerce to Russia’s retail economy. With online sales now accounting for more than one-fifth of total retail turnover, growth is increasingly coming from regional consumers rather than only the country’s major metropolitan markets.
The expansion of marketplaces, logistics networks and pickup infrastructure is helping narrow the gap between urban and regional consumers, creating new opportunities for retailers and digital commerce platforms across the country.
However, disruptions affecting major marketplace infrastructure could pose challenges for the sector’s continued growth. The broader resilience of Russia’s e-commerce ecosystem will therefore depend increasingly on diversified logistics networks and the ability of platforms to maintain reliable fulfillment capacity.