China is set to sharply increase imports of Russian oil this month, taking volumes that previously went to India and Turkey as Western sanctions force Moscow to redirect flows, reported Reuters.

Preliminary data from LSEG shows China will receive nearly 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd) of Russian oil by sea in January, up from 1.1 million bpd in December.

Beijing, already a major buyer of Russian Far East ESPO Blend, has also raised imports of Russian Urals crude to a record 405,000 bpd in January, the highest since mid-2023, according to energy consultancy Kpler.

The surge underscores China's growing role as a key outlet for Russian oil amid tightening Western restrictions, while Moscow continues to shift trade flows away from other markets.