Russia's foreign trade announced

Russia's foreign trade totaled $21.9bn in January this year, 31 percent up from January 2004, the federal state statistics service has reported. Exports amounted to $15.2bn in the reported period, which was a 35.4-percent advance against January 2004. Imports grew 21.8 percent to $6.7bn in January 2005 against the same period last year. Trade surplus reached $8.6bn this January compared to $5.8bn in January 2004. Trade with countries outside the CIS advanced 35.6 percent to $18.8bn in January 2005 against January 2004; trade with the CIS stepped up 8.3 percent to $3.1bn.