Alexandra V. Bozhechkova – Head of Monetary Policy Department of the Gaidar Institute for Economic Policy; Senior Researcher of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Candidate of Economic Sciences (Moscow, Russia). Е-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Alexander Yu. Knobel – Head of Foreign Trade Department of the Gaidar Institute for Economic Policy; Director of Center for Foreign Trade Department of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration; Director of the Institute for International Economics and Finance, Russian Foreign Trade Academy, Candidate of Economic Sciences (Moscow, Russia). Е-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Pavel V. Trunin – Head of Center for Macroeconomics and Finance of the Gaidar Institute for Economic Policy; Director of Center for Сentral Banks Studies of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Doctor of Economic Sciences (Moscow, Russia). Е-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

At the end of Q1 2022, the positive balance of trade in goods and services increased by more than 2.5-fold on the back of high commodity prices and ongoing significant export deliveries. Due to the geopolitical crisis and the imposition of sanctions, the private sector’s net capital outflow for Q1 2022 reached the highest level since Q4 2014. The freezing of international reserves forced the Bank of Russia to impose tight restrictions on capital movement, which made it possible to stabilize the ruble exchange rate.

Key words: balance of payment, exports, imports, current account, ruble exchange rate, outflow/inflow of capital, Bank of Russia.

JEL-codes: E58, E44, F32, F21, F31.